Finding your own Way
by Stoppelbart
Summary: What is it that defines a person? What does it mean to forge your own path? The name you carry can be a burden. It can also be a blessing. Which one shall it be? Sequel to "Putting the Pieces back together"
1. Chapter 1

**Well, here we go again. Honestly, I didn't think that I would be back anytime soon. But I guess the urge to write something has become far too powerful during the last couple of months. So yeah, after giving it much thought I have decided to write something again. Nothing big, though. I hope. What you read here is, in a nutshell, a sequel to my other story "Putting the Pieces back together". While I do not intend to write another story with over one million words, I feel like there's some juice left in the tank, some ideas that I want to turn into reality. This story takes place after the end of "Putting the Pieces back together". That's all you need to know. I hope the story will put a smile on a few faces.**

 **Also, I do not intend to post a chapter every day or every three days like I did in the old days. Prepare for slow progress.**

* * *

 **Chapter 1**

 **Knock Knock**

* * *

Dust. It was everywhere. Not just on the ground, but also on the walls. It was not thin but had formed a massive crust. Beneath it, cold metal continued to oxidize. This place had been abandoned ages ago and all you could hear was eternal silence. The corridors were dark and endless. It was like a labyrinth from a dark tale, one where the monster would lurk in the shadows, waiting for someone to be foolish enough to enter its realm.

Only that in this place the shadows were everywhere.

It was obvious to anyone who would take a closer look who had created this place in the first place. It wasn't natural. It hadn't even been created on this remote planet. No, it had ended up here by accident. Or maybe not?

It was hard to tell.

A riddle.

One that was worth to be investigated.

What was not a riddle was the nature and origin of this place. The architecture was simple and sturdy. Some would probably call it "crude", yet it had survived the centuries so far. It was a testimony to the skills of its builders. Or, to be more precise, it's engineers.

It wasn't Protoss. Not because it was too dirty for that but...yeah, that too. The rust on the bulkheads was proof enough that this place hadn't been created by the Firstborn. And it was a lot smaller than what Protoss were used to. The corridors were barely big enough for even one Protoss to stand upright, let alone a whole bunch of them. No, this place wasn't created by Protoss.

It wasn't created by Zerg either. It wasn't _alive_ enough for that. There were no organic structures. This thing hadn't been grown, it had been built.

This left only one species...

 _Thunk_...

They say that whatever humans build isn't meant to last. That time will wither away everything this short-lived species can create. Kinda harsh if you think of it. Some things humans build are meant to last. For centuries. For millennia. The Protoss weren't the only to create miracles that could withstand time. The ancient temples of the Greeks are a proof of that. Even though they have become ruins by now, you can still tell what they once had been.

Perhaps the Protoss had created the most sparkling temples but that didn't mean that humans were completely incompetent.

Only most of the time...

However, temples were one thing. Temples were meant to last centuries, maybe even longer. Other things weren't meant to do that, tools for example. You can only use a hammer so many times until it breaks. And when it does, it loses its purpose. Then again, if you don't use a hammer, it won't break and stay intact for as long as it takes for the metal or wood or plastic or whatever it is made of to rust or rot away.

It's actually somewhat sad if you think about it. It's the nature of a tool to be used, even if that means that it will break one day. But the other option is that it will just be turned into a useless piece of junk.

 _Thunk..._

Now people probably won't feel bad for a hammer. If it breaks, or if it gets lost, you usually get a new one. Not many folks have a "favorite hammer". Maybe some craftsmen, but that's probably it. However, there are objects that cause people to think of them as something bigger than just a piece of tech or a tool to be used. Like the already mentioned temples. They usually stood for something, a deity or an idea. Some other things were less "spiritual".

Like ships.

Ships?

Yes, ships.

Ships were more than just a name. Some of them had become legends in their own regard. Names like Enterprise, Ark Royal, Rebel Heart or the Spear of Adun...to the people who had served on them they hadn't been just mere pieces of tech. They had been homes. And stallions they had used to ride into battle. Poetic, right?

But not just the people who had served on these vessels had been inspired by their feats. Legends have to start somewhere, and the name of certain ships had turned them into something more than just a mere ship. It had turned them into myths.

 _Thunk!_

But even if a ship was a legend, it was also a tool. And if you use that tool, it will reach the end of its life eventually. Sometimes it will just be phased out of service and replaced by something newer. Other times it would meet its destiny in glorious battle, which would only make the legend even bigger.

 _Thunk! Thunk! Thunk!_

Sometimes, if you put a tool away and forget about it, something curious happens. Under the right circumstances, it won't rot away. A lot of things have to come together for that to work. The right place, the right time. The lack of oxygen usually helps too.

 _THUNK!_

There was oxygen in this place. The moment a bright flame appeared as it broke through the thick steel of a bulkhead, hot sparks filled the dust-filled corridor. The blowtorch was moving slowly. It was as if whoever was on the other side was careful not to be too hasty. Was it because this place was ancient? Or because that bulkhead was made out of military-grade steel? Even after all this time, the thick metal was so hard that it proved to be an excellent match for that blowtorch.

"...out..." a male voice could be heard.

The blowtorch was making slow progress, but it was progress nonetheless. Hot sparks landed on the dusty ground and threw it into the air. In fact, there was so much dust that it clouded the atmosphere inside the corridor.

"...areful!"

The flame stopped and moved in another direction. Soon it was clear that someone was trying to create an entrance.

"...ake it big!" a new voice suddenly spoke up. "...needs to fit inside too!" It belonged to a woman.

"...imme a break, I'm doin' my best over here!" another voice growled. Just like the first voice it too belonged to a man.

"...ease, be careful! This isn't one of your...important-"

"...ip it or I might..." the two men seemed to argue. The sparks continued to fly as the blowtorch was doing its thing. Minutes passed and when the tool finally reached the point where it had started, the bright light faded and silence returned. Just not for long...

"...so, what now?" the female voice asked. "Are we just gonna stand here and wait until nightfall?"

"No. We are just waiting until the edges cool off." the second male voice replied. Whoever that man was, he sounded annoyed.

"Perhaps we should stop here for today. I think it's a good moment to return to the base camp and-" the first man mused. He tried to sound calm but there was a lot of anxiety in his voice.

"Gosh, no!" the other man shot back. "First you keep pestering me for days that we should use this place as the entry point, make me cut through endless numbers of bulkheads, and now you tell me to quit it and call it a day? No friggin' way, Prof! Now stay back, I'm about to get reckless!"

"What? No. No! Marshal, don't do that, this is an archaeological site and-"

 _ **THUNK!**_

One loud kick later the metal-plate came loose and fell down. It only fell a few meters until it landed on the dusty ground. Bright sunlight fell inside but was blocked out almost immediately by all the particles in the stale air. For quite some time nothing happened. Not until some shadows from outside partially blocked the light.

"This...this is it." the first man whispered in awe.

"Looks pretty dirty if you ask me." the woman muttered.

"Can't see shit." the second man growled.

"This is magnificent. Magnificent!" the first man explained. "Look at it! Those bulkheads! There is no doubt! Pre-Imperial age, the design is clearly from the time of the Confederacy!"

"I repeat my initial statement..." Number 2 sighed. "I can't see shit."

"Looks pretty dusty down there." the woman mused. "I think I'm developing a ruin-dust allergy just by looking at it."

"Why is there so much dust anyway?" the second man wanted to know. "Wasn't this thing supposed to be abandoned? Hey, we searched days for an entry-point. Does this mean that there was a goddamn open door or hatch we missed?"

"I'm pretty certain that we didn't miss anything." the first man tried to ease the tension. "The dust must be from inside the derelict. Perhaps we should wait a while until it has settled."

"Waste even more time waiting?" number two groaned. "I'm not getting younger over here, you know! And unlike you eggheads, I don't enjoy being out here and do this stuff."

"Marshal, please..." the first man tried to reason with his hotheaded colleague. "...I understand that this isn't exactly your area of expertise. But we wouldn't have come this far without your help and-" That's when the woman interjected.

"You're doing this all wrong, Professor!" she cheered. "Hey, Marshal, wanna' call the Magistrate and tell her that you don't want to be around us eggheads?"

There was a long moment of silence and when the Marshal finally spoke up again, you could hear the frustration in his voice.

"...no. No, it's fine. Forget that I said anything." the Marshal sighed. "Well, at least now we know that we didn't dig this hole for nothing. Looks like there's more down there than just a bulkhead."

"Scans indicate that the structure beneath the rubble is extensive." a new voice suddenly spoke up. It sounded strange, almost blurred. It belonged to a woman...or at least something that qualified as _female_. "It seems that it's in good shape too. Better than we hoped."

"Well, guess we finally hit the jackpot, people!" the first woman cheered.

"Perhaps we should wait with the celebrations until we know more." the Professor muttered. "I understand your optimism, and your enthusiasm is refreshing. But we still have to be careful and plan the next step in order to-"

"I wonder if there are skeletons down there." the woman suddenly mused and interrupted the Professor.

"I... don't think so." the Professor replied.

"You sure 'bout that?" she wanted to know. "It would be awesome if there were skeletons down there! Wouldn't that make us grave-robbers?"

"I think you're overthinking things." the Marshal growled. "Also: Skeletons mean dead people. You want to find dead people?"

"I didn't say _human_ skeletons." the woman explained. "I totally want a Hydralisk's skull. You know, for my aunt. She collects stuff like that."

"What's a Hydralisk?" the Marshal asked.

"It was a Zerg. Became extinct ages ago." the woman explained. "You know, when the Swarm became peaceful and all they got rid of a lot of strains. No one has seen a living Hydralisk in centuries."

"And how would you know anything about these...Hydralisks?" the Marshal wanted to know.

"My aunt is an expert on Zerg. Teaches about them at the university."

"Must be some aunt..."

"Yup!" the woman chuckled. "Anyway, what's the plan? Are we gonna stand up here and stand into that whole until we turn into dust as well?"

"Of course not!" the Professor spoke out. "But first we have to gather the rest of the team and secure this location. After that, we should take samples and see if the atmosphere inside the derelict is harmless. Maybe we should send the samples to a nearby laboratory and-"

"You do know that there are no laboratories on this world, right?" the Marshal interjected.

"...well, we should take it slow. That's what I'm trying to say. And-"

"I say we go inside!" the woman suddenly said. There was an awkward moment of silence until the Professor spoke up again.

"I... don't think that this would be a wise move. We should-"

"I vote for Sirella to go down there first!" the woman simply continued as if she wasn't even listening to the Professor.

"Wh-what?!" the strangely blurred female voice suddenly stuttered. "Why me? What did I do to be sent into that dark hole?!"

"You got no mouth. And no nose." the woman explained. "No offense, but there is a lot of dust down there! Also, you are bigger than anyone else. If there's something down there, it will think twice before it will go up against a Protoss."

"I'm not a warrior!" the female Protoss whined. "I don't want to go down there!"

"Aw, come on, big girl!" the woman replied. "I know you can do it! I got your back, I promise!"

"I don't know, Paula..." Sirella mumbled. "...I didn't even want to come out here. You just talked me into it!"

"I sure did!" the woman called Paula gloated. "Come on, it's an adventure! Everyone loves adventures!"

"Well, I don't love adventures." Sirella replied. "Especially adventures that involve dark caves and mysterious structures."

"Eh, so much for plan A." Paula sighed. "Say, Marshal, do you want to take point on thi-"

"Leave me out of this." the Marshal interrupted her. "I don't even want to be out here. I'm just here because you somehow managed to convince the Magistrate to breathe down my neck and make me help you find this thing. No one said anything about entering it."

"It's a derelict! Who doesn't want to enter it?" Paula wanted to know.

"Me." the Marshal and Sirella answered immediately.

"Aw, you two are party-poopers. Hey, Professor, want to check it out? Be the first person to set foot inside this thing? History will remember your name forever!" Paula tried to convince the other man.

"I don't know..." he mumbled. "...I think we should be very careful about this, Paula. We don't know how stable this thing is. Besides, the rest of the team is still waiting at the camp. We should inform them first. There are guidelines for archaeological work. Rules. We should abide by them."

"Come on, what could it hurt to take a quick peek?" Paula wanted to know. "I'm pretty sure that we find all sorts of awesome stuff down there!"

"Wait a second, I just remembered something..." the Marshal suddenly interjected. "...didn't they use nuclear weapons back then as well? And weren't those ships powered by fusion cores? Uhm...did someone actually bother to check if there's any radiation coming out of that thing?"

"Aw, quit 'yer bitchin'." Paula replied. "There is no radiation, I checked it out."

"And how did you do that? I never saw you use a scanning device. Ever. Come to think of it, what is it you're doing out here anyway? Aside from making stupid jokes?" the Marshal wanted to know.

"Hey, you should be glad to have me around!" Paula replied. "Also, I know that there's no radiation inside. Female intuition and stuff."

There was another awkward moment of silence. And then...

"That's it, I'm going back to the base-camp." the Marshal growled. "Do what you like, I'll call it a day."

"That sounds like a reasonable plan. I think I will follow the Marshal." Sirella announced, much to the dismay of Paula.

"H-hey! Sirella! Wait, aren't you supposed to back me up here?!" Paula protested. But the next thing you heard were the heavy footsteps of a being that was a lot bigger than a human.

"Professor!" Paula whined. "Just a quick peek inside! We can just take a look and that-"

"I'm sorry." the Professor replied. "But I think we should stop for today. Don't worry, we will continue tomorrow. This derelict has been here for centuries. I'm sure it will still be here by tomorrow." And then the Professor too walked away. The woman remained behind.

"Uh...sorry, people. Seems like this will take a bit longer than I thought it would." she whispered to herself. And then you could hear the voice of the Marshal in the distance once more.

"Yo! Kerrigan! You comin' or what?!"

* * *

"The Professor is back!" someone yelled when the unlikely group of four returned to the base-camp. Though "base-camp" was a rather generous term for those four big tents and a handful of vehicles they had brought along for the trip. Nevertheless, the group of young students hurried over to the small group and started to swarm the Professor and ask all sorts of questions.

"Did you find something?"

"...managed to get inside?"

"...we found some more relics south of here."

"...there's something you need to see!"

"...how did it go?"

"Professor Allagan! We got word from the city! They told us that they are going to send more supplies by tomorrow." someone mentioned and Professor Jerome Allagan sighed when he heard that.

"Oh, those are indeed good news." the thin man sighed and beat some of the dust from his dirty pants. "That saves us a lot of trouble. Did Franklin tell you when he will be back?" The young man who had told the Professor about this development just shook his head.

"I'm sorry, Professor, but he couldn't give us any details."

"Well, so be it." Allagan mused. "We just have to plan our schedule according to his arrival."

"That means we might lose a whole day!" Paula whined.

"Girl, if your colleague wouldn't bring those supplies tomorrow then you would lose an entire week. Be grateful with what you got." the tall man next to her growled. He looked very different from the other people. The Professor and his students looked like...

...well, let's just say that they looked like people that weren't used to work in the field. That other man, however? He looked as if he was used to spending most of his life outside. Even though he wasn't that old, his face already carried more wrinkles than people that spend their lives in urban areas. It gave him a look of seniority. The badge on his shoulder and the gun holstered to his upper leg were the only signs for people to assume that he was actually a marshal.

He wasn't the only one who didn't look like a piece of cheese, though. Behind him was the tall figure of a Protoss. This one, a female of her species, seemed to be rather uncomfortable with having so many small people around her. She looked down at the last member of the group as if she was looking for advice or anyone to tell her what to do next.

"Can I take a break now?" the Protoss whined and the young woman next to her looked up and frowned.

"Sure. Why do you ask me?"

"Because you dragged me out here." Sirella moaned. "I never wanted to come out here! I've never been so far away from home before! You drag me to the most insane places, Paula!" the Protoss complained.

"Aw, quit being such a big baby." her _friend_ replied. "You've been studying too hard anyway. It's like your grandpa said: Fresh air and a nice tan will do you good!"

"My _grandpa_ said no such thing." Sirella replied. "And Protoss don't get a tan."

"Details, details." Paula shot back. "The point is..." And then there was a long moment of silence.

"Yes?" Sirella asked after a while.

"...I think I forgot what the point was. Uh...weird." Paula mused and looked up at the sky. "Uh, look! That cloud looks like a kriecher!"

"What's a kriecher?" the Marshal asked and Sirella shook her head.

"Trust me, you don't want to know. Please excuse me, I think I want to be alone for a while and lament my fate." And with that, the huge Protoss simply stomped away. The students made sure to give her enough room. Not because they were afraid of her. Not many people could claim that they had ever met a living Protoss, even in this time and age. But Sirella was hardly what you would call a "normal" Protoss. If there was such a thing in the first place.

Born on Korhal as the child of diplomats, she had grown up among humans. As a result, her mind was a lot less disciplined than that of a warrior that had fought during the Great War. In fact, Sirella was probably a lot more human than she would ever like to admit, at least when it came to the way she acted.

"Well, take care, big girl!" Paula shouted after her friend. "And whatever you do, don't try to eat some of the local food! Or any food! Since you don't have a mouth and all that stuff." Sirella didn't comment on that. Professor Allagan and the students walked away as well, busy talking about their findings and other stuff that was actually pretty damn boring.

Soon Paula was all alone. Except for...

"Has anyone ever told you that you're a weird woman?" the Marshal mused. Since he was neither a scientist nor a frustrated Protoss, he had nowhere else to go either.

"Plenty of times actually." Paula mused and looked back at the cloud above them. "And that cloud _does_ look like kriecher."

"Whatever. I'm gonna grab me something to eat now." the Marshal declared and turned away. With no one else to talk to, Paula continued to stare at the sky and compare it to the other skies she had seen so far. At one point it had turned into some sort of hobby. The sky of this world had a beautiful blue thanks to all the oxygen in the atmosphere. This planet was called...

"Hey, Marshal, what's the name of this world again?!" Paula screamed into the man's general direction when she realized that she had totally forgotten the name of this place. The Marshal stopped when he heard that and turned around.

"For crying out loud! I swear, Kerrigan, your brain is made out of mush!" he barked. "Flemmington! We are on the world called Flemmington!"

"Oh, right!" Paula mused. "Flemmington. I knew it was something with a C in it." The frustrated look on the Marshal's face made it clear that they had talked about this topic a couple of times before. The moment he turned around, he heard her voice once more.

"Oh, and just to be certain, Marshal...what's your name again?" However, this time he didn't answer that question. He just stomped away and muttered something about "damn bird-brain".

"Hey! That's not nice!" Paula yelled after him. "Sirella has a beautiful and big brain! Far bigger than that of any bird!"

"I WASN'T TALKIN' ABOUT SIRELLA!" the Marshal screamed when he was finally out of sight. A goofy smile appeared on Paula's face when he was finally gone. Of course she knew the name of the Marshal. She liked to toy with people. Dan Bowski. That was his name.

However, she had indeed forgotten the name of the world they currently were on. It was a weird habit of hers. Paula remembered almost every name that she had ever heard. But planets? Pfff, who cared about that. She was glad if she didn't mix up Char with Aiur.

With no one else to annoy, Paula decided to call it a day as well. It wasn't her choice, not really. But even she knew when she was defeated. And she didn't want to cause any chaos. Well... any more chaos than she had already caused. Causing chaos was one of her most favorite unintentional things to do. Or so people liked to claim.

"Well..." Paula mumbled after a while. "...this is getting boring. Let's set something on fire!"

* * *

Flemmington was a world on the outer edge of the Empire's territory. Someone once said that "you can't see the ass of the galaxy from here, but you sure can smell it!". Then again, that's what probably everyone said about a world on the fringe. The world itself was rather unspectacular. Roughly Earth-sized, though a bit bigger, it also had a somewhat higher density, which meant that the gravity was a bit higher as well. Not much, though. Just enough to make you realize that something was off.

The world was pretty dry with no real oceans. At least not as big as on Earth or Aiur. There was water, though. Especially the northern hemisphere was covered with thousands of majestic lakes, some of them among the biggest people had ever seen. It didn't change the fact that most of the planet's surface was dry steppe or desert. A few rivers crisscrossed the landscape but perhaps it didn't come as a surprise that most agricultural products had to be imported.

In a way, this place was not unlike Mar Sara.

The old Mar Sara, before it had become one of the richest trading-hubs in the entire Empire.

Paula had only seen that place once, though she didn't really like to think about that specific moment. She looked up at the sky and sighed. The blue heaven was gone, now it was dark and the stars were sparkling like endless numbers of diamonds. Even though this place was far away from the worlds she knew, Paula still recognized a few stars. A smile appeared on her face when she realized that they were closer to Aiur than to Korhal. She hadn't checked the star charts, but right now she wasn't even certain that Flemmington was still within the Koprulu-Sector.

Then again, that name had lost its meaning a long time ago.

The young woman squinted her eyes and searched for a specific object in the night sky. Not a star, but something far more magnificent. But after a while Paula gave up. It was useless, the place she was looking for was simply too far away.

"I wonder how they're doing..." she whispered and shivered when she thought about her family. She hadn't told them about her little idea. They would have told her to not do it, to give it a rest. Good thing that she hadn't listened to them. Paula had told no one about her plan. Well, no one except her uncle. And even he didn't know any details.

"...get to bed early, tomorrow will be a busy day!" the voice of the Professor echoed over to her from the base-camp. It put a smile on her face.

"Heh, someone will be in for one hell of a surprise." she mumbled to herself. While setting the records straight wasn't her reason for coming here, it sure wouldn't hurt to do something like that. Another shiver ran down her spine, this time because of the cold. Paula moved closer to the fire and stretched her arms out. The heat of the campfire felt nice. She closed her eyes and started to hum a melody, one that her parents had sung to her so many times when she had been little.

"...hmm hmm...hmm hmm hmm hmmmm...leavin' on a jet plane. I don't know when I'll be back again..." she started to sing. It was getting cold outside and she could hear how the other students were preparing to crawl into their sleeping-bags in order to prepare for the night. Sirella was probably already sleeping as well. Paula's friend was not exactly someone who liked to stay up all night. So that meant that Paula would be able to enjoy some peace and quiet before-

"How the hell did you manage to make a fire?" Marshal Dan Bowski asked when he walked around a huge boulder that was between Paula's position and the base-camp. The young woman blinked a few times and looked up at the man. Damn, she had totally not noticed how he had approached her. Good thing that her mother wasn't around, she would have told her to be more careful.

"Whadda'ya mean?" Paula replied. "I can make a fire all on my own, you know. I'm a big girl!"

"You're a weird girl." Bowski corrected her, but then he walked over to her and sat down on the other side of the campfire. "Where did you get the firewood from? There aren't any trees around for hundreds of miles!"

"Heh, you just have to know where to look." Paula teased him and looked back up at the sky.

"The others are getting ready to sleep." Bowski told her. "Perhaps you should get some rest too."

"I'm fine." she replied. "Besides, Sirella snores. And she drools in her sleep."

"She's a Protoss. She has no mouth." the Marshal explained

"That you know of."

"You are the _weirdest_ girl I have ever met, you know that?"

"I'm not a girl." Paula corrected him. "I'm a woman. Only my parents call me "girl". And you don't look like my Pa, so you don't have to call me "girl" all the time."

"You just called yourself a big girl. So...no."

"Heh, have it your way."

And then both of them fell silent. Neither Paula nor Bowski felt the urge to say anything. Paula noticed how he looked over to her a couple of times while she was studying the stars above them. There was no ill intent in his suspicion. And no romantic feeling. Sure, Paula was a beauty, there was no doubt about it. Her long, brown hair was lush and her face had a beautiful triangular shape. Her brown eyes and her full lips gave her something soft, something gentle. Was she attractive? Damn right she was. But Bowski didn't seem to care about that. He stared at her not because he felt attracted to her, but because she was a mystery to him. And that brought a smile to her face.

"What's so funny?" Bowski wanted to know.

"I just have to think about something." Paula replied and took a deep breath. "Say, Marshal...?"

"Yeah?"

"Have you...have you ever visited another world?"

"Yeah. A couple of times. Why? Is this your first trip to another world?"

"No. I've been to plenty of worlds before. It's just...have you ever noticed that there is always at least one star that you recognize?" Paula asked.

"...no. Not really." the Marshal replied truthfully, which caused Paula to groan on the inside, yet she managed to keep a straight face.

And after a while...

"Which worlds." Paula muttered.

"Say what?"

"Which worlds did you visit?" She lowered her gaze and looked Bowski straight into the eyes. For a moment it seemed as if Bowski would refuse to answer her question. But then...

"Kallico." the Marshall answered. "And Bryce."

"Never heard about those." Paula mused. "Nothing big and important? Korhal? Tyrandor? Ramelow?"

"Naaa, too big and fancy for a hillbilly like me." Bowski replied. "I would just feel like a fish out of water."

"So... you like to be out here. In nature." the young woman concluded.

"No, not necessarily." Bowski mumbled, which sparked Paula's interest.

"Uh, I smell an interesting story! Tell me!" she demanded.

"Like hell I will."

"Tellmetellmetellmetellmetellmetellme-" Paula annoyed the Marshal.

"Has anyone ever told you that you can be pretty obnoxious?"

"...tellmetellmetellmetellmetellmetellme..."

"Perhaps some other time." Bowski sighed and got back up. He looked around and straightened himself. "I'm gonna walk the perimeter now. There isn't anything out here larger than a dust biter, so you shouldn't be in danger. Still, you should go back to the camp once you're done with...staring at the stars."

"What's a dust biter?" Paula asked.

"You know it when you see it. Just make sure that there's nothing in your sleeping bag. Their bite isn't deadly but it causes an itch that will drive you mad for weeks."

"Sounds lovely." the young woman mused.

"Sure. Whatever. Just make sure to not do anything stupid. We are still in the wilderness out here. This is where animals live. Humans are the unknown factor out here." Bowski explained.

"Whoa, that sounded deep."

"Nevermind. Good night, Kerrigan."

"Good night, Bowski."

And then she was finally alone. Again.

And once she was certain that no one was around...

" _...all my bags are packed..."_

" _...I'm ready to go..."_

" _I'm standing here...outside your door..."_ Paula began to sing.

" _I hate to wake you up to say goodbye..."_

" _But the dawn is breakin', it's early morn..."_

 _"The taxi's waitin', he's blowin' his horn..."_

" _Already I'm so lonesome I could die..."_

And that's when a gentle smile appeared on her face.

" _So kiss me and smile for me."_

" _Tell me that you'll wait for me."_

" _Hold me like you'll never let me go."_

" _'cause I'm leavin' on a jet plane."_

" _Dunno when I'll be back again."_

" _Oh babe, I hate to go..."_

She continued to hum the melody until the song had run its course. And when she was finally done, she got back up and stretched her limbs. It was pretty cold by now and the fire was hardly able to keep her warm. Still, Paula didn't feel like going to sleep just yet. There was a certain kind of restlessness inside her chest. She was so close, so very close. Soon she would have all the things she needed. Except for one thing...

"Well..." she whispered. "...maybe I will find something that you will like." And then she looked up at the sky and smiled again. Yeah, she would definitely find something for all of them. That was the whole point of coming here, right? And she wouldn't leave this place empty handed.

When Paula turned around and walked towards the camp, the cold started to gnaw at her limbs almost immediately. She slung her arms around her chest and shivered. Behind her, the fire continued to flicker until she raised her hand and flicked with her fingers. The moment she did that, the campfire went out immediately.

She was ready. Yes, her family would be worried, but she was no little child anymore. She could do this. She wanted to do this. For herself. But also for them.

Or her name wouldn't be Paula Kerrigan!


	2. Chapter 2

**In order to avoid confusion for those who haven't read my other story "Putting the Pieces back together" and aren't too keen on reading over one million words in order to get what's going on, here's the shortest possible synopsis: 1000 years have passed since the end of the Great War (and therefore Legacy of the Void). No one remembers the names Kerrigan or Raynor anymore, therefore it is of little consequence wherever Paula uses the name or not.**

* * *

 **Chapter 2**

 **Non-Volunteers forward!**

* * *

Marshal Dan Bowski wasn't what you would call a born leader. Most people would call him awkward and uninspiring. However, there was one huge misconception in place here. People assumed that he was boring and weird. The truth was that he simply didn't care about winning folk over so they would like him. That didn't mean that he was an unsocial bastard, far from it. But at the same time, he simply wasn't exactly what you would call a "people-person".

His looks sure as hell had helped him to be left alone most of the time. While not exactly bad looking, Bowski had a very distinguished look. Tall and thin, he stood almost two meters high. Though "thin" wasn't the right way to describe him. Lean, yet at the same time tough and hardy. He was used to hard work and possessed a stamina that most people surprised. There were guys that had the size of a goddamn brick house and they could lift a truck and eat half a cow in one go. Bowski wasn't one of those. However, he could march all day and then some more while carrying half a cow on his back. His constitution was nothing short of a miracle and had allowed him to rise to the rank of Marshal at a young age.

There were still many worlds like Flemmington; on the fringe and barely able to survive on their own. And for a guy like Bowski, worlds like these were perfect.

He wasn't a local. But he had grown fond of this world. What people called "the big city" made him feel uncomfortable. Flemmington's entire population was just a little bit below 2 million, and roughly half of them lived either in the capital Russou City or around it. Bowski wasn't the only Marshal on this world, but he had gained a reputation for being the only one who actually liked to journey to the most remote places on this planet. That, and the fact that he had no family, had convinced the Magistrate to appoint him to be the guide of the little group of archaeologists from Korhal.

Oh, joy!

He so had to thank the Magistrate for that.

Maybe send her some poisoned chocolate?

Another thing that baffled most people when they were dealing with the Marshal was what he considered his most useful ability; his discipline. He wasn't proud of it. He knew that some actually admired him for that. And that others called him crazy. But to him, it was just the way he liked to do things. His discipline had helped him to become the man he was today. If you do something, don't think about it, don't say that you want to do it, don't make it complicated. Just do it. One step after the other.

When he woke up, Bowski didn't even have to look on his watch, he knew that it was one hour before sunrise. He did check his watch nonetheless, only to confirm that his body clock was better than most mechanical ones.

Perhaps his most prominent feature was his face. Some called it gaunt. Others had told him that he reminded them of a hawk. Sounds flattering at first, right? But what they had meant was that he had a thin face and a piercing gaze, one that caused people to feel highly uncomfortable when he would look them into the eyes. "Corporal Cadaver" had been one of his less flattering nicknames during his time as a recruit. Funny thing; many people actually asked him if he was psionically gifted because of his icy gaze. His gray eyes made people feel as if he could look right into their souls.

However, the sad truth was that he was as psionically gifted as a brick, which was rather unusual these days.

One thousand years ago, being psionically gifted had been a rare condition, a stigma even. Only one person in over two million had possessed the genetic trait necessary to develop these abilities, and out of those, only a meager four percent had actually developed some sorts of psionic powers. And we are only talking about people that had managed to reach level one or two on the psi-indicator, which were worlds apart from the strongest human psionic ever recorded, which had been a staggering 10. Even now scientists and historians debated wherever they could trust data that was over one thousand years old. Perhaps someone had made a joke back then and no one had been able to see through it. The name of that said human was weird too. Who would call their child "November Terra"? Bowski had watched these stupid infotainment-shows about that legendary psionic as well, but he had never truly believed in any of it.

Still, it was still funnier to watch than those weird stories about a "legendary level 12". Every now and then someone would claim that there once had been a human with a psionic level above already mentioned 10. Most legit scientists agreed that something like that was impossible. A being of such power would theoretically able to rip apart time and space.

And that sounded like stupid fiction.

So yeah, Bowski didn't believe that this "level 12" had ever existed either. Then again, it hardly mattered, since he was roughly a level minus 47, which was actually pretty amazing since nowadays psionics were a lot more command than they had been. In this time one out of 700 people was psionically gifted. Some even dared to say that this was the future of humankind. Again, the Marshal wasn't really sure wherever he should believe it or not. Apparently, there was some kind of growing cult out there, looking for people that had psionic talents in order to breed them or something like that. If that was true, then he would probably not be part of that glorious future since his genes weren't made out of the right stuff.

Bummer, really.

Good thing that he didn't care about stuff like that.

Back in the here and now Bowski had other things to worry about. Like for example getting up and preparing for the day. It took him less than five minutes to get out of his sleeping bag, get dressed, shave, brush his teeth and step out of his tent. He was greeted by absolute darkness. Some clouds had appeared over night and were now blocking out the stars, robbing the scenery of any natural light. The Marshal sniffed the air and licked his lips. It was dry, which meant that the clouds wouldn't bring any rain. Good. Rain was the last thing they needed right now. It would only prolong this senseless mission and he wasn't looking forward to something like that. Bowski turned around and checked the base-camp. All the others tents were still silent, no one was awake aside from him. It came hardly as a surprise to Bowski. These people were scientists and big-city-folk. Some of them probably had never actually slept outside.

When the Marshal came past a tent that was bigger than the others, he noticed that it was wide open. Curiosity got the better of him and when he peeked inside, he could see the weirdest members of this expedition.

Sirella, the Protoss, was lying on a mat that looked like it was made out of...something. Something that Bowski had never seen before. Instead of using a sleeping-bag (one had to wonder if there were even sleeping-bags in the size of Protoss), she was hugging a crystal that was emitting a faint blue glow. If she was freezing, then she sure didn't show it. Her eyes were closed, so Bowski just assumed that she was sleeping. However, the other person in the tent was actually a lot weirder, even though she was no Protoss.

"...wanna...squidfishes..." Paula mumbled. She wasn't using a sleeping bag either. It didn't seem to bother her, though. She was lying on Sirella as if she was using the bigger Protoss like a pillow. Those two...they were definitely the weirdest people Bowski had ever met.

"Huh..." Bowski muttered when he thought about the absurdity of this whole situation. Just how the hell had he ended up out here with a bunch of eggheads in the first place?

* * *

 **Two weeks earlier...**

 **The Magistrate's office...**

* * *

The moment Marshal Dan Bowski entered the building, he was glad that he had decided to put on some fresh clothes before coming here. The Magistrate's office was by no means a palace. On the contrary, it was what you would call a "functional building". If you wanted to describe this place, you would use words like _boring_ , _dull_ , _gray_ and _ugly_. The first humans to settle the world of Flemmington had arrived on the planet roughly 400 years ago. In all that time this huge block of concrete had done its job.

Or, how people liked to say: It ain't pretty, but it sure is ugly!

In a way, it was your typical administration building, built in a time where the population of Flemmington had counted only about fifty thousand people. Now there were over two million living on this rock of dirt and no one had actually bothered to add some rooms. As a result, this whole place was close to Bowski's personal nightmare; it was filled with people that were annoyed and pissed off. Thankfully he didn't have to sit down and wait. Instead, he walked over to the receptionist and placed his hands on the cool stone of the desk.

"Marshal Bowski." he said. "Heard the Magistrate wants to see me." The receptionist, a slightly out-of-date mechanoid, looked up and tilted its head to the side.

"Please confirm identity." the robot declared and pointed its finger on a scanner right in front of it. Perhaps it came as a surprise that these robots were still around. But then again, never fix what ain't broken. Or something like that. Ever since the introduction of adjutants over one thousand years ago, the use of humanoid or human-like robots for administrative purposes had become a normal thing. They weren't what you would call A.I.s. Those things, sorry, those people existed as well. But sentient machines were on a whole different level and they liked to stick to themselves. There were many sentient computers among the Protoss that liked to call themselves the "Children of the Purifiers".

Why are we talking about this again?

Ah, yes.

The robot right in front of Bowski.

That thing wasn't sentient. It just seemed that way until you asked it things like "What is the meaning of life?" and stuff.

"Ugh, have it your way." Bowski growled and placed his hand on the scanner that did its job at once. Once done, the robot's head twitched and looked at the Marshal once more.

"Identity confirmed. Welcome, Marshal Bowski. You have – one – appointment. Magistrate Swann is expecting you in her office."

"Thanks bunches." Bowski mumbled and turned away. He knew the way to the office, he had been here plenty of times. Mostly not by choice, though. Right now there were 14 marshals working on Flemmington. Well, actually there were only eleven. One marshal was stationed on the moon orbiting Flemmington, and two more on the mining-stations at the outer edge of the system.

Why so many marshals for one world, you ask?

Wouldn't one marshal be enough?

Well, not really. Or do you think that one policeman is enough for a whole goddamn plant?

Marshals were not part of the normal police force. While every world within the Empire had local law enforcement, marshals were actually employed by the ministry for internal affairs on Korhal, the Empire's capital. That meant that they were technically on the same level as the federal police, even though most people liked to overlook that fact. Especially those who were working for the federal police. Apparently, they didn't like it if you compared them with the Office of Outward Affairs, the guys Bowski was actually working for. And yes, his future statement that he had never been to a big and fancy place like Korhal would be a lie. It was the place where he had received his badge after four years of hard training.

But even then most people thought that being a marshal was about being a badass, smoke tons of cigarettes, drink like a lumberjack and curse like a sailor. None of that was true and-

"...stupid 'effin stairs..." Bowski growled when he squeezed himself upwards.

Well, he didn't smoke and didn't drink, so let's leave it at that.

Since the Magistrate's office was severely overcrowded, the staff had started to use the corridors and the staircase to park all the file cabinets outside their offices. From the looks of it, there were enough files to build a second building. The Magistrate's office itself was nothing spectacular. It didn't even have an outer office. Back on Korhal every git and their grandmother had had their own office including an outer office. He knocked on the door and it didn't even take one second until someone screamed "YES!". And so Bowski opened the door and stepped inside.

"Magistrate Swann, you wanted to see m-WHAT IN TARNATION IS GOING ON HERE?!" the Marshal barked the moment he stepped inside.

Dan Bowski had seen plenty of weird shit in his life. Like that one time when a former colleague with a serious drug problem had managed to gain access to the evidence room for an entire weekend. To keep things short: It hadn't been pretty.

There were sad things, there were horrible things...

...and then there were things that were downright weird.

Like the situation that was going on right in front of Bowski.

Magistrate Swann was a well-known woman on Flemmington. She was rather short, not even 150 centimeters tall. Which was always rather awkward when Bowski would stand right in front of her, since he was almost two meters tall. She had to look straight up, he had to look straight down. But that wasn't the only odd about her size. Swann was also somewhat, well, wide. Not fat, just...wide.

Some people liked to call her "Captain Cubicle", which wasn't very flattering but pretty damn accurate. Then again, the people who called her like that were the same kind of people that had called Bowski "Corporal Cadaver". Aside from her geometric form, the Magistrate was actually a very popular figure on Flemmington. She was known for displaying a happy attitude almost all of the time and stayed in close contact with the citizens. Everyone could come to her and ask for help. She had an open-door policy. There was just one thing that you should never do.

As we already established, Magistrate Swann was rather...short.

If you dared to call her "Shortie" or a dwarf, she had the bad habit to prove that she could down people double her size. While she wasn't one to use violence to solve her problems, the Magistrate enjoyed to challenge people that needed a lecture to a round of boxing. And given her size, Margret Swann's fists were in the perfect position to punch pretty much everyone right into the liver.

Oh yeah, "Lady Liverhook" was another one of her nicknames.

Enough with the nicknames...

"You are right!" Magistrate Swann beamed when she looked down from her current position. "Being tall is awesome! I should have tried this ages ago!" And indeed, Bowski had to look up in order to look the Magistrate into the eyes, which was a first. But not because she had experienced a sudden growth spurt. No, that wasn't the reason.

The reason for the Magistrate's head brushing against the ceiling of her office was because she was sitting on the shoulders of a goddamn Protoss...

"See? I told you so!" a woman with long, brown hair cheered. She was standing right next to the Protoss and smiling like an idiot. "Being tall is awesome. Isn't that right, Sirella?"

"Can I put the Magistrate down now?" the Protoss whined. Only then Bowski realized that it had to be a female. He could only tell because of her voice. Aside from that, he had no idea how to tell if a Protoss was male or female. "She's kinda heavy..."

"Aren't you Protoss supposed to be really strong?" the Magistrate asked and looked down. "I know that I'm short, but I also know that I'm not heavy!"

"I'm not a warrior!" Sirella groaned. "I'm an artist! I study art! Paula, why did you drag me out here?!"

"Uhm..." a new voice suddenly caught Bowski's attention. He turned his head around and noticed a middle-aged man wearing a ridiculous outfit. The man looked as if he had prepared himself for a goddamn safari. He was wearing khaki shorts, a khaki-shirt...and even a tropical hat. Was this guy for real? There was no jungle on all of Flemmington! "...Ladies, perhaps we can get back to the matter at hand and...oh, we have a guest." That's when the people in the office finally noticed Bowski.

"Uh...hi." the Marshal mumbled. To be fair, no one had ever trained him for a situation like this. Then again, he had his doubts that anyone could prepare you for a situation like this.

"Marshal Bowski! Is that you?" Magistrate Swann beamed as she looked down at him. "It's so hard to tell, you look so tiny from up here!"

"Uh huh..." was all Bowski managed to answer.

"Man, this place looks so much cleaner from above!"

"I'm sure it does." the Marshal mumbled.

"Hey, Marshal...are you thinning out at the top?" the Magistrate mused.

"Not that I know of." Bowski sighed.

"Well, you know what they say about bald men, right?"

"I sure don't." And then he took a deep breath. "Can someone please tell me what's going on here? And please, make it make sense."

"In that case, I should probably be the one talking to you." the other man said and offered his hand to Bowski. "Professor Jerome Allagan, from the University of Augustgrad." The Marshal grabbed the other man's hand and gave it a soft squeeze.

"Marshal Dan Bowski. Nice to meet you. Did you just say...Augustgrad? Did you come all the way out here from Korhal?!" While space travel wasn't something fantastic in this time and age, a journey from Korhal to Flemmington was still a pretty damn impressive feat. It must have taken months to get out here.

"Yes/No!" the three newcomers said at the same time and Bowski frowned when he heard that.

"Say what?" That's when Allagan sighed and looked over to the other two members of his little group...and the Magistrate that was still sitting on the Protoss' shoulders.

"Pardon me. I guess we should do this the right way." the Professor explained. "How about the Magistrate will climb down Miss Sirella's shoulders and we talk about this, like, well, uhm..."

"Like?" Bowski asked. That's when the young, brown-haired woman made a step forward and offered him a goofy smile.

"He wants to say: like adults. Hi there. Paula Kerrigan. All-time badass and part-time treasure hunter! Nice to meet'cha!" There was a long and awkward moment of silence where no one said a word. Bowski stared at the young woman who offered her hand to him and thought about his next step carefully.

And then...

"Is this a joke?" the Marshal asked after a while and looked over, well, up at the Magistrate.

"I'm afraid it isn't, Marshal. Meet your new job." Swann declared and pointed with his finger at the newcomers.

"I would like to have some more information first, if you don't mind." Bowski replied. "Oh, and could you come down from up there? My neck is starting to hurt."

"Ha! Finally you know how I feel all the time!" the Magistrate explained. "Alas! Justice has been served! I have been vindicated!"

"I think you're using that word the wrong way." the woman called Paula said.

"Whatever." Swann muttered and patted the Protoss she was sitting on her massive head. "Thanks for the new perspective, Miss Sirella. I appreciate your effort. You can put me down now." And so the Protoss did as she was told. One awkward situation later "Captain Cubicle" was back on her feet, and now Bowski had to look down again. Which was actually just as straining on his neck as looking up all the time.

"Well, this a perspective I'm more used to." the Magistrate sighed, turned around and walked over to her desk. She sat down behind it and leaned back. "Marshal, these people have come all the way out here, to our charming little community, in order to uncover the mystery of the past. Isn't that great?"

"That's _magnificent_." the Marshal griped. "I'm so thrilled that I can't even imagine why anyone wants to come out here. Or has someone found out that the dirt on this world is actually made out of gold? Gosh, does that mean we have been sitting on a fortune all that time?"

"Marshal, tone down that sarcasm a bit, will you?" Swann shot back.

"I will try." was Bowski's dry answer.

"I'm sure you will." was Swann's reply that was just as dry. "Anyway, the reason why I have called you over is that this group of researchers will need a guide."

"Then hire one." Bowski muttered. "Being a guide isn't part of my job description."

"Blunt as always, Marshal. Good thing that I like that about you." the Magistrate sighed. "Let's make this one short, shall we? I feel a bit dizzy. All that air aloft is a new experience for me. Marshal, these people want to go south, near Fletcher's Falls."

"Fletcher's Falls?" the Marshal asked and looked at the small group of weird people. "There's nothing out there. Nothing but dust and dirt."

"Well, we have solid proof that-" Professor Allagan started but then he was cut short by the Magistrate again.

"I told these people that you know that area better than anyone else I know. That's why I recommended you to them. I hope you don't mind." the short woman cooed.

"This is for the one time when I forgot your birthday, isn't it?"

"No one forgets my birthday. And not coming to my birthday party is actually a criminal offense. Death by chocolate cake is the usual punishment." the Magistrate joked.

"Hmm, chocolate cake..." the woman called Paula moaned when she heard that.

"But this is not about you being a failure as a party-guest, Marshal. You are indeed the best man for the job. That, and all the other marshals already managed to snivel their way out of this assignment."

"So I'm your last straw?"

"Pretty much."

"Charming. What makes you think that I don't try to snivel my way out of this either?"

"Because..." Swann giggled. "...you have a sense of professionalism. And I can entrust you a group of civilians without having to be worried that they will end up as corpses by accident." The moment she said that, you could see how both the Professor and the Protoss went pale. Which was actually pretty amazing because up till now Bowski hadn't known that Protoss actually can get pale.

"Uhm...I hope that our arrival doesn't mean any trouble for you. We are just a small expedition and have only come out here to verify the possible location of a derelict vessel of significant archaeological value."

"Say what?" Bowski asked.

" _Rebel Heart._ " the woman called Paula then interjected. "We are looking for the _Rebel Heart._ "

* * *

Perhaps introductions are in order. _Rebel Heart_. First (and only) vessel of the _Freedom_ -class of battlecruisers introduced into the Dominion's navy shortly after the Great War. Just like the aircraft carrier Enterprise on Ancient Earth, the _Rebel Heart_ had achieved almost mystical fame. She was more than just a ship. If people talked about _strength_ , _honor_ and gallantry, they usually thought about this vessel. The reality, of course, had been a lot less spectacular.

There was no doubt that the _Rebel Heart_ had existed. The Empire had actually employed several vessels with this name, and all of them had served the fleet with distinction. The first _Rebel Heart_ hadn't been part of any battle, but it had become a legend in its own regard nonetheless. Official records indicated that the ship had been broken down for scraps after serving for over 60 years. But every now and then treasure hunters would claim that the ship had never been phased out of service. Instead, it had been used to test new and advanced technologies. One of the most popular stories was that the vessel had been lost during the test of a new jump-drive.

Bowski had never believed these stories. But he had to admit that the idea of finding something like the _Rebel Heart_ had its charm. Then again, the Marshal had stopped believing such stories when he had turned twelve, so he wasn't really looking forward to any of this.

Unfortunately, he didn't get much of a choice. And so his job had been to make sure that this small team of explorers wouldn't kill themselves by accident.

It hadn't been just those three, though. No, sadly not. Aside from the Professor, the Protoss, and the self-proclaimed "badass", there had been nine more students, all of them eager to make history. Or something like that. Truth to be told, Bowski had been certain that these people would give up after a week of finding nothing but dirt. Unfortunately, at least one member of this expedition had proven to be more competent than the Marshal had initially believed. And now they had actually found something beneath the surface, buried beneath dust and rubble.

Bowski enjoyed the moment of silence. Right now the others were still sleeping. Watching a group of eggheads wasn't exactly the most fascinating thing to do, but it demanded your whole and undivided attention. At least the Marshal didn't have to be worried about criminals or looters or that kind of stuff. Flemmington was a fringe-world, yes. But it wasn't a _barbaric_ fringe-world. The worst thing he had to fear was that one of the researchers would get lost by accident.

Then again, if something like that would happen, it could ruin Bowski's day nonetheless.

The group wasn't that large. The Professor and nine students/research assistants including the Protoss Sirella. And, of course, the self-proclaimed "badass".

This might sound weird but it wasn't Sirella that was the oddity in this group.

No, the true oddity was that woman, Kerrigan.

Not actually a member of the university, she had been recommended to Allagan as a guide and "jack-of-all-trades" by a colleague called Brent. Apparently, her skills lay "elsewhere", whatever that was supposed to mean. According to Allagan, his colleague Brent had found reports and documents hinting that a vessel of the size of a battlecruiser had entered this system several hundred years ago, only to vanish into obscurity after that. Bowski would have never considered journeying to another world at the ass end of the galaxy only to confirm a rumor.

But apparently being a researcher meant that you could do stuff like that.

What did he know?

In order to be certain that there was nothing wrong with this place, Bowski decided to walk the perimeter once more. And just as expected there was nothing going on at all. The clouds began to disperse and soon the twilight of a new day was approaching. The Marshal did notice a change in the air. It tasted...different. Unusual. He had spent so many time out here, Bowski could tell how the weather would be merely by sniffing the air.

"Weird." he whispered when he looked up at the sky. The clouds seemed to move in weird ways, something he had never seen before and-

"What's weird?"

"Gha!" the Marshal hissed and turned around. Behind him stood none other than the badass. "Kerrigan! Pro-tip: Don't sneak up on people that have guns."

"Noted." the young woman replied. "Pro-tip: If you don't have any gun, that statement is invalid." When Bowski heard those words, his hands wandered to his holster only to realize that his gun...

...was gone.

"Mother of...!" he snarled and looked at Kerrigan, who merely handed his pistol over to him. He yanked it from her hand and checked it for any damage. Or worse, for any sign that she had used it. But then he realized that the safety was still switched on.

"Don't worry, I'm not into guns." Kerrigan told him. "My Mum raised me to be a pacifist."

"That's reassuring." Bowski growled. "How did you get it from me in the first place? Don't tell me that one of your qualities is that you got sticky fingers."

"I got lots of talents." Kerrigan replied. "Maybe one day I will show them to you. If you're nice."

"I think I'll pass. Thanks." The Marshal then turned around and looked over to the base camp. "Your pals are still sleeping. They sure need their beauty sleep."

"Oh, you don't know half of it. Sirella is especially grumpy if she doesn't get her eight hours of sleep."

"Right..." Bowski mumbled. "...you know, prying isn't exactly in my nature-"

"That's what everyone claims before they pry." Kerrigan mused.

"...but I do have to ask how you ended up in the company of a Protoss."

"It might surprise you, but I actually know a bunch of Protoss." the young woman replied.

"You're right. It does surprise me."

"Aw, now you're just mean. Sirella is a good friend of mine. I would even dare to say that she's my best friend." Kerrigan explained.

"Does she know?"

"You know, Marshal, I kinda like your humor. Reminds me of my master."

"Master? Master in what?"

"How to annoy people. I graduated with honors." Kerrigan explained.

"You just can't give me a straight answer, can you?"

"Sure I could. But where's the fun in that. If you want to know more about me, then you have to find it out yourself." The young woman then turned around and walked towards the base camp.

"And why would I want to do that?" Bowski shouted after her.

"Because I'm awesome! Deal with it!"

* * *

As the sun climbed over the horizon and the day finally arrived, the small group of researchers began to finally wake up. It was truly a sorry sight. They all looked as if they had survived a goddamn battle. These people certainly weren't used to sleeping outside. The moment he saw how the first students crawled out of their tents, Bowski actually felt a bit of pity for them. Korhal was the Empire's capital and one of the most heavily urbanized planets known to man.

After the entire crew had finally managed to get up and gather in the center of the camp, it was time for a much-needed speech.

"Okay, folks. This is how we're going to do things." Bowski declared while looking at the researchers. "The two guys who want to bring more supplies should arrive till noon. Hopefully. Once they are here, we need all able hands in order to unload those supplies and make sure everything is in order. Until then I suggest that you clean your tents. Make sure to keep your sleeping-bags dry. Dustbiters like dark, wet and warm places. Just remember: Once your warm and wet sleeping-bag isn't good enough for them, they will something that's even warmer and wetter. And if you're unfortunate and inside your sleeping-bag when that happens, they might pick your mouth or your butt for that." Some of the students and researchers went pale when they heard had, yet no one dared to ask Bowski if he was actually making a joke.

"Now, this is a scientific expedition. I get that. And I don't intend to breathe down your neck." the Marshal then declared. "But if everything works out okay, then we will stay in this place for a while. And that means that we have to talk about some things. Some things that might be no-brainers for some of you. Still, I have to do this. I won't enjoy it any more than you do, trust me."

Well, that sounded promising...

Bowski bowed down and picked something up. He held the object high up into the air and made sure that everyone could take a good look at it.

"This is a shovel." he explained. "It is a tool. You use it to dig holes."

"Uhm..." one student muttered. "...I think we know what a shovel is."

"Yes, we are no hillbillies!" someone else joked. Bowski showed no emotion as the eggheads started to snicker. Even Allagan seemed to be unsure wherever he should laugh or not. However, he was older and knew how to control his own emotions.

"I never claimed that." Bowski replied. "And I understand that you big-city-folk are a lot more educated than roughly ninety percent of Flemmington's population. And that you know all the fancy secrets that the Empire has to offer. Like proper hygiene." That caused the young people to laugh out loud.

"It's true." the Marshal admitted. "It might sound weird to you people, but out here hygiene is still a sore topic. You know, not everyone has endless amounts of hot water pouring out of the tap. There are some settlements out here where the people actually have to use a well in order to get water. Crazy, right?"

"Sounds like the Middle Ages!" someone sneered. "Are people still dying of the plague?"

"Yeah, and when was the last time you guys burned witches?"

"Thursday." Bowski replied. "No, wait. Tuesday. Yeah, that day with the L in it." Give the people a doofus and they will show their true colors.

"Guess it's tough if you don't know how to wash your hands after going to the bathroom." a young woman snickered.

"Kinda hard to do that if you don't have any bathroom." the Marshal mused. "Anyway, I get it that you know a lot more about personal hygiene than most. So don't get this the wrong way when I tell you this..." And then he smashed the shovel into the ground with full force. "...the next person who decides to poop near the camp will find out how painful it is to have a shovel shoved up their butts!" Suddenly the people stopped laughing and Bowski squinted his eyes. He could see how they swallowed hard when he stared at them. He wasn't angry, not really. But he knew that he could intimidate most people just by looking at them. And that was exactly what he was trying to do.

"You know, I get it. You are from a place where toilet flushing is a basic human right. You don't have to worry about feces. Out here, you do." Bowski explained. "Not even animals take a dump where they eat. And we want to stay here for a while. So I will only say this once: If you feel the urge to follow nature's call, then take this damn shovel, dig a hole, do what you feel is right, and then close the hole again. With dirt." Some of the researchers seemed to be still confused wherever he was making fun of them. Well, he wasn't.

"I mean it!" Bowski barked. "If we don't keep this place clean, then it will bite us in the butt later on. This isn't Korhal. This is the wilderness. Just because there are no dangerous animals doesn't mean that we don't have to be careful. It's my job to keep you safe. But that doesn't mean that I have to clean up your mess. Literally. So get your, and forgive that bad pun, shit together!"

There was an awkward moment of silence and no one dared to say anything.

"I see we have reached an agreement. Hooray for diplomacy." the Marshal mused. "There are other things that we have to speak about. We need rules. So let's start with the easy stuff. No one will leave the basecamp without my explicit permission. I don't want to have to explain to the Magistrate why I lost a bunch of people out in the wilderness. That goes double for nighttime. Once it's time to sleep, the only place where I will find you is your sleeping bag." Bowski's orders caused some of the people to frown and complain.

"We are not little kids!"

"This is stupid, we don't have to listen to that."

"Damn fascist!"

"Yeah, yeah, cry me a river." Bowski replied. "It's really simple, folks. You will follow my orders or I will send you straight back to Russou City. Your choice. Oh, and you should look up the definition of the word "fascist". I think you don't really know what it means." He looked at a lot of unhappy faces, yet no one dared to complain. That's when Professor Allagan stood up and coughed a few times in order to get everyone's attention.

"Well..." he said. "...that was certainly an _interesting_ speech." He offered the Marshal a friendly smile and then he looked over to his people. "I'm sure everyone understands that we are only guests out here. The Marshal knows this place better than anyone else. It is in our best interest to listen to what he has to say. Wouldn't you agree with that?" The students and researchers exchanged annoyed looks but no one dared to speak up.

"Great. Then we can get down to business." Bowski sighed. "Unless someone has a question and-" That's when one student raised her hand and the Marshal sighed. "...yes?"

"Where are Kerrigan and that Protoss?" the young woman asked and only then Bowski realized that the unlikely duo was indeed not with them.

That's when the Marshal felt how his eyelid started to twitch.

" _KERRIGAN!"_

* * *

"Do you think it's wise to just come out here without waiting for the others? And that the Marshal is okay with that?" Sirella whined. "I don't want to make that man angry. He's scary."

"Aw, quit your whining, big girl." Paula replied. "The Marshal and I are already pals for life."

"You say that about every person you spend more than 5 minutes with." the Protoss muttered.

"What can I say?" the young woman mused. "I just have a way with people."

"Yes. They want to be as far _away_ from you as possible." Sirella whispered.

"What was that?"

"Nothing!"

They had reached the place they had discovered the day before. The hole was still there. Of course it was there, where else should it have gone? However, what was gone was the dust. As Paula and Sirella looked through the hole in the hull, the Protoss noticed the change almost immediately.

"The dust. It's gone."

"Really?" Paula mused. "Huh. I wonder how that happened. It's as if someone used magic and wished it away!"

"You are serious about this, aren't you?" Sirella sighed. "You really want to head down there."

"You still doubt me on this one? I brought us out here, didn't I?"

"And I really wish you hadn't. I'm an artist, not a historian or an archaeologist." the Protoss mumbled.

"You are an _aspiring_ artist." Kerrigan corrected her friend. "Also, you do remember what my Dad told you about going out and finding things that inspire you?"

"I'm pretty sure that his suggestion didn't involve dark corridors filled with dust."

"There's no dust anymore." Paula declared. "I took care of that."

"Great. Now it's just a dark and scary wreckage." Sirella sighed again. "So much better."

"And haunted. Don't forget haunted." her friend informed her, which caused Sirella to groan.

"Paula, is there something you want to tell me?"

"Naaaaa. It's a surprise." Paula Kerrigan replied.

"Paula, I swear! If this is another "Trust me, I know what I'm doing!", then I'm so out of here and-" However, Sirella's ranting was cut short when someone else made his frustrations involving Paula audible.

"KERRIGAN!" the loud yell of Marshal Bowski echoed through the badlands.

"Whoa. I just had a déjá vu." Paula mumbled. "I swear I just heard the Marshal yelling my name. And he sounded angry."

"That's because he IS ANGRY!" Sirella screeched and pointed with her finger at the small figure that was approaching fast. The huge Protoss hid behind her much smaller friend as if Paula could act as some kind of shield that would protect Sirella from Bowski's wrath. When the Marshal had finally reached them, Paula just waved with her hand and smiled.

"Hey, Marshal. How's life? Is there anything I can do for you?"

"You know DAMN WELL what you can do for me!" Bowski shouted at her. The frustration was clearly visible on his face. "I don't care if you actually believe that you are a badass. I'm calling the shots out here. If I tell people to stay together, then I expect everyone to do as I tell them! That includes you two!"

"Just so you know, I didn't want to come out here. Paula is responsible for everything bad that happens in my life." Sirella declared. When Paula heard that, she looked over her shoulder an pulled a brow up.

"Thanks, Sirella. You are a true friend, having my back all the time and all of that." the young woman said with a dry tone in her voice.

"I don't care." Bowski hissed. "You two will go back to the base camp right now!"

"But-" Paula tried to reason with the Marshal.

"No buts!"

"Maybe we-"

"No maybes either!"

"All I'm asking-"

"I don't care!"

"Could you at least let me finish my-"

"No!"

There was a long and awkward moment of silence. Sirella was still hiding behind Paula. Paula was looking at Bowski with an empty look on her face while the Marshal was staring at her in bloody murder. And then...

"Call me crazy, but I think that you are angry. Do you want to talk about your feelings?" Paula asked, which only caused the Marshal to grab his head and scream profanities of the highest order. When he was finally done, he clenched his hands into fists and needed a moment in order to calm down.

"Has anyone ever told you that you are a frustrating woman?"

"Plenty of times. So, you want us to go back to the base? Why didn't you say so!" Paula just replied and turned around. She walked away and both Sirella and Bowski looked at each other in surprise.

"What?" the Marshal mumbled. "First she acts like a three-year-old and now she just listens to what I tell her?"

"Are you two coming?" Paula asked and looked over her shoulder. It was Sirella who started to move first. She followed her friend and Bowski sighed. Seriously, this was idiotic. Once they were back in the camp he would tell the Professor that Kerrigan was not an asset but a hindrance and they should send her back home. When the Marshal decided to follow them, he knew that this was the best course of action and-

"Hey, Marshal!" Paula suddenly yelled and he looked over to her.

"Huh? What is it?" he wanted to know.

"Watch the edge, it's slippery!" the young woman told him and he frowned when he heard that.

"What are you talking about? There is no-OHOHOHOHOOOOO!" Before he could even realize what was going on, Bowski slipped and stumbled backward. It was as if the ground beneath him was made out of ice. He tried to stay on his feet but it was pointless. At the same time, a strong gust of wind pushed his body back. Bowski had no idea what was going on. When he finally lost his balance, he fell backward.

Right into the hole they had made the other day.

"TO HEEEEEELLLLL!" the Marshal yelled when he dropped through the hole and into the derelict. You could hear a soft _THUD!_ when his body hit something hard, and then a painful groan, followed by a long moment of silence.

"Oh, my..." Paula cooed and walked back toward the hole. She looked down and pulled her brows up. "...hmm, guess he should have been more careful. Everyone knows that ice can suddenly appear everywhere, even in hot deserts. Right, Sirella?"

"You are an evil person, Paula."

"Aw, charmer. Guess we should see if the Marshal is seriously injured, wouldn't you agree?"

"No?"

"Glad that you see it the same way I do, big girl." Paula chuckled, not even listening to what her friend was saying. "Well, it would be cruel not to check on him. It's our moral duty! As human beings!"

"I'm not a human, Paula."

"Details, details." the young woman replied and looked at her friend. "It's adventure time!" And then she jumped down the hole and followed the Marshal. Sirella stayed behind and thought about what to do next. And then...

"You know, I think I'm going back to the base-camp. Have fun down there, you two!" The Protoss then turned around and walked away. There was no way that she was climbing down there! They didn't pay her enough for this!

That's when Sirella suddenly realized...

...that no one was actually paying her anything for this.


	3. Chapter 3

**So, since this part of the story involves the wreckage of an abandoned battlecruiser, let's talk about something that might bother some people. Just how big is a battlecruiser in Starcraft anyway? As far as I know there isn't any real number out there. Some say that a battlecruiser like the Hyperion or Bucephalus are around 500 meters long. But others seem to be "several kilometers" long. So what is it? Hell if I know. So the ship in this story will be pretty damn big. Call it "artistic freedom". The thing with size in Starcraft is something that many people seem to confuse. At least that's how I see. I always thought that, for example, one unit in the game only represents a bunch of units. Let's take a Space-Marine. I think that one Space-Marine in the game stands for at least a whole company, maybe even more. Otherwise, why would you storm a world full of Zerg with only 200 marines in total? The opening scene of "Heart of the Swarm" shows endless numbers of Zerg, and the last mission of the campaign actually takes place on Korhal. So I guess one Zergling in game actually represents several hundred Zerglings. Like said, that's how I see it. What does that mean for this story? Well, basically that I have decided to pick a size for the derelict battlecruiser based on the one you see in the opening scene of Heart of the Swarm, that giant thing that crashes into the city. Why? Because it's more epic, that's why.**

 **And before you say: "But a battlecruiser in the game surely doesn't represent 30 or more cruisers!"**

 **Yes, I know. Every unit represents a different size and number of units. That's how I understood it. Because I seriously doubt that Sarah Kerrigan used 200 Zerg to storm Korhal. Maybe 200.000. Probably even more. Much more.**

* * *

 **Chapter 3**

 **Left is the new Right**

* * *

„Uhnnnn..."Marshal Bowski groaned and rolled on his back. What do people say? It isn't the fall that kills you but the sudden stop at the end? Well, he couldn't really agree with that. Oh, the sudden stop at the end had hurt. It had hurt like hell! Unfortunately, the fall hadn't been much better either. Bowski felt as if he had managed to smash into every bulkhead on his way down. And then some more.

"How many bones does the human body have?" he groaned and placed his hand on his chest. He heard a soft _THUD!_ and then how a weak vibration moved through the ground beneath him.

"Between 206 and 214, depending on how you look at it. It's more when we are still children, but the bones fuse over the course of growth." a young female voice explained. Bowski blinked a few times and looked up. Above him was the hole in the hull of the derelict. A bright light was falling through it and almost blinding him. He could, however, see the lithe figure standing right above him.

"That's surprisingly specific." he groaned. "Don't tell me you studied human anatomy."

"No." the young woman replied. "My mother taught me that."

"Your mother is a doctor?"

"No, she just has a lot of experience when it comes to breaking bones." There was an awkward moment of silence. And then... "Well...she used to do that when she was younger. Way younger. Wait, did I just call my Mum old? That's totally not what I wanted to say. I wanted to-"

"I get it, Kerrigan!" Bowski snarled and rolled on all fours. "Mother of-! If you want to make yourself useful..." Instead of finishing that sentence, he reached out with his hand. Thankfully Paula Kerrigan understood what he was trying to tell her. She grabbed his hand and helped him back on his feet. And once he was back up, the Marshal groaned again and checked his body for any serious injuries.

"So? Everything still where it belongs?" Kerrigan mused.

"Yeah. I guess. Seems like I was lucky that I didn't break my neck." Bowski growled and looked up at the hole above them. "Quite the fall."

"Ah, don't worry. I'm sure there was no danger involved at all. I think it's safe to assume that nothing can go wrong whenever I'm around." Paula boasted.

"I swear, Kerrigan, if I find out that you pushed me through that hole then I will-"

"Please, I would never do something like that! Also, I was meters away when you slipped and fell."

"Ugh..." Bowski growled and turned away so he didn't have to look at that smug grin on the young woman's face. He then looked around and took some time to finally study their surroundings. "...well, guess you got your wish, Kerrigan. We finally set foot in this thing."

"You don't sound very happy about it." Paula mused. "Also; you can stop calling me Kerrigan. I have a first name, you know. How about _Paula_?"

"I'll keep that in mind, Kerrigan." was Bowski's answer.

"Tsk, have it your way." the young woman mumbled and turned away. Was she angry? Hard to tell. Bowski had never truly considered himself a ladies' man but he was no dud either. However, Paula Kerrigan was a weird person, one that he had no idea how to address or judge. Sometimes she showed signs of wisdom that were uncanny for someone so young. Other times she acted like a three-year-old who didn't get what she wanted.

One day he would ask her about that.

Maybe.

"Wait a second..." Bowski mumbled when he looked around. "...what happened to all the dust we saw yesterday?"

"Uhhhh...maybe some ghost whisked it away! Uhhhhhh..." Kerrigan teased him.

"Or maybe grave-robbers followed us and already did their job." the Marshal mused, something that caused Kerrigan to chuckle.

"Seriously? Come on, no one would come out here. And for what? You're just paranoid."

"No, I'm careful. Let's get the hell out of here and hook up with the others. I will then call for some backup from the capital and we will-"

"Oh, you gotta be kidding me!" Paula groaned. "Are you for real? We just got inside and you want to get out again? Aren't you curious about what this place is? About its history? Its relevance?"

"No." Bowski replied truthfully.

"Did anyone ever tell you that you're boring as hell?"

"Occasionally. Now, let's check out those bulkheads. Maybe we can use them to climb back up again." the Marshal mused.

"I got a better idea." Paula replied. "I will go and check out this place!" She then looked left, then right, then left again. "Left it is!"

"Kerrigan, you will not just wander away! I don't care how smart you think you are! This is a potentially dangerous situation and we have no idea what's waiting ahead of us. This is no game and I-"

"You can either follow me or stay here and continue to be boring. I want to see what's ahead!" And with that, the young woman simply walked past him.

"Kerrigan. KERRIGAN!" Bowski barked. "Paula, please!"

"Come on, Marshal! This will be fun!" And then she added something that caused him to frown. "I waited so long for this!" And when she vanished into the darkness, Bowski knew that he had only one choice. And that was to make sure that this frustrating woman wouldn't kill herself by accident.

* * *

"So, this is a battlecruiser..." Bowski mumbled. "It's bigger than I imagined it would be." The corridor they were walking through was filled with darkness. Good thing that the Marshal always came prepared, and so his flashlight illuminated the path ahead of them. What seemed odd was Kerrigan, who was walking right next to him, didn't seem to be bothered by the darkness one bit. She was acting a bit too sure of herself for Bowski's taste.

"Have you never been on one?" Paula asked. "If I remember correctly, there's a battlecruiser-exhibit in orbit around Korhal that's part of the naval museum."

"Yeah, well, I always wanted to check it out, but I didn't want to waste an entire day just standing in line with thousands of others and squeeze myself past parents and their children while everyone is blocking my way."

"You sure sound like a people-person." Paula mumbled. "Also; a-ha! Got you!"

"Say what?" Bowski asked.

"You said you've never been to Korhal. That was a lie." the young woman beamed.

"Tsk...I prefer to call it "None of your damn business." Just sayin'." the Marshal growled.

"Heh, a fair warning; I can see through any lie!"

"Sure, whatever." Bowski replied, not really eager to continue this conversation. Instead, he focused his attention on the corridor ahead of them. The Marshal didn't even try to hide his astonishment. His reservations of coming down here from earlier had all but evaporated. Now that he was actually inside this derelict, he could barely contain his excitement. Paula noticed that and flashed a smile when she saw the childlike excitement on his face. It would seem that she had picked the right guide for this journey...

"The size of this thing is absurd." Bowski mumbled. They continued to walk through a corridor that felt like it would go on forever.

"They sure liked to build 'em big back in the days." Paula mused. "Also, keep in mind; this thing is several kilometers long. Battlecruisers back then had a complement of up to eight thousand crewmembers, depending on the class. And that's not even including the troops one of these babies could carry into battle."

"Tsk...a crew that large." Bowski chuckled. "It must have been hell. I mean, the biggest ship that I've ever been on was a snotty frigate, and that had only like 200 people on board. Guess the past wasn't always better than the present."

"It wasn't that bad." Paula replied. "Sure, it was cramped. But the people didn't consider it unpleasant. On the contrary, serving on a battlecruiser was considered quite the privilege. Compared to the rest of the spaceships available at the time, they were considered pretty spacious. I mean, not every ship back then had toilets and showers on every deck!"

"Man... they sure knew how to have a good time back then." Bowski sarcastically replied. "Please don't tell me that you wish you could have lived back then." Just when those words had left his mouth, Bowski noticed how Paula suddenly stopped and stared at the floor in front of her.

"Kerrigan? Is something the matter?" the Marshal asked, worried that she might had injured herself when she had jumped down the hole in the hull. But then he noticed the sad smile on her face.

"Once, when I was young, I actually wanted to do that." she whispered. "The past seemed so exciting to me. Hearing all those stories about the legends of old. I thought it must have been glorious." Bowski wasn't really sure what to make of that statement. Was she trying to make fun of him again? Or was she trying to tell him something?

"So..." he asked, deciding to take her statement seriously. "...what changed your mind?"

"The reality." Paula simply replied and looked over to him. Her smile was still sad but at the same time, there was something else in her gaze, something Bowski couldn't quite put his finger on.

"The reality?"

"Yeah. It's easy to judge others as long as you don't know anything about the hard choices they had to make in their life. About the mistakes they made. And how they tried everything to redeem themselves." Paula mused. Her sudden outburst of wisdom caused Bowski to stop.

"Huh? What are you talking about?" he wanted to know. That's when a surprised expression appeared on Paula's face, one that was replaced by an embarrassed one almost immediately.

"I was just...sorry, nevermind. I just had to think about something my parents taught me." She then shook her head and decided to move on. Bowski followed her, but not without feeling slightly curious about one thing.

"You seem to be very close to your parents." the Marshal stated.

"Isn't anyone close to their parents?" Paula replied.

"Uh..." Bowski grunted and didn't really answer that question. There was an awkward moment of silence and the Marshal felt no urge to pry any further. That's when Paula decided to throw him a bone.

"I guess you could say that I'm close to my parents." she told him. "They are actually the reason why I'm out here."

"That sounds like they kicked you out and now you're trying to prove yourself or something like that." Bowski muttered. When Paula heard that, she suddenly stopped again and blinked a few times. And then...

"Hahahaha! Oh, you're right! That totally sounds like I'm trying to get away from them. Hehe...eh, good thing that they can't hear me right now. That would be awkward." And then she sighed. "It's just...have you never felt like you wanted to do for your family? To put a smile on their face? To show them just how much you care for them?"

"No." Bowski replied with a straight face.

"Huh?" Paula muttered in disbelief. "Wait, what?"

"No." the Marshal said again.

"Are you saying that you don't like your family?" the young woman asked with a dumbfounded expression on her face.

"No." Bowski said for the first time. "It's more like I don't care about what they're doing."

"That...sounds rough." Paula muttered. "Want to talk about it?"

"Nope. Look, I think there's something up ahead." And with that, this conversation was over, at least as far as Bowski was concerned. Thankfully, there was no reason to continue this conversation. Not with them finally reaching the end of the line. Or, to be more precise, the end of the corridor.

"Huh...guess we should have gone in the other direction." the Marshal mused. Right in front of them was a heavy and reinforced blast-door, the kind used on warships in order to make sure that even in case of a catastrophic event like a hull breach the entire atmosphere wouldn't be sucked out into space.

"Look at that..." Bowski whispered when he placed his hand on the cold steel of the door. Next to him, Paula couldn't help but chuckle.

"What? Have you never seen a door before?" she teased him.

"Not one like this, and certainly not on a spaceship." Bowski replied. Ships nowadays were a lot more sophisticated then they had been one thousand years ago. Using doors made out of metal was so vintage. Nowadays vessels made by humans used forcefields that were able to keep the atmosphere on the inside. It was a reminder that they were actually walking through a remnant of the past, one that belonged to a time long forgotten.

"Huh...guess this is the end of the line for now." the Marshal muttered.

"You're not telling me that you're about to give up now!" Paula protested. "It's just a door! You know how to open a door, don't you?"

"Don't know how to open _this_ kind of door." Bowski admitted. "It's a few hundred kilograms too heavy to just push it open. And..." He walked up to a big button right next to the door and pressed it. Unsurprisingly nothing happened. "...seems like the keys aren't working. And I didn't bring my blowtorch."

"How did you manage to become a marshal?" Paula wondered. "You are giving up way too fast!"

"Your concern for my professional attitude is noted." the Marshal growled. "Anyway, we already went further than we should have. The best course of action would be to return to the entrance-point and hook up with the rest of the team. Then we-"

"Ugh, gimme a break!" Paula interrupted him. She walked over to the button next to the door and hit it with her fist.

"I do know how a button works, Kerrigan." Bowski growled. "You don't have to try it your-" That's when the door suddenly screeched and sprung open. There was an awkward moment of silence and when Bowski looked over to the young woman next to him, he could see the smug grin on her face.

"If you want something done right, let a woman do it." Paula cooed.

"Must have been some energy left in the system. My first attempt probably caused it to be released." Bowski mused.

"Uh-huh. Sure. And here I thought you lacked imagination, Marshal."

"Ech...great, so the door is open. At least now we can tell the others where to start and-" Bowski started, which caused Paula to groan in frustration.

"You gotta be kiddin' me!" she yelled. "The door is open! Do you know what you do with open doors? You go through! Here, let me demonstrate." And with that, Paula moved forward. Bowski tried to grab her wrist but she was a slippery one. All he could do was to watch how the newfound bane of his existence decided to make his headache worse by stepping through the door and vanishing into the darkness.

"Kerrigan! KERRIGAN!" he screamed in rage. But just like so many times before Paula seemed to not care at all about Bowski's frustration. The Marshal groaned and looked around. "Why can't things be easy for a change?" he growled and looked back in the other direction. Perhaps he should just go back to the entrance-point and wait for Sirella and the rest of the science-team to look after them. With any luck they would be smart enough to bring a rope from the camp with them that he could use to climb back up. The only question he had to ask himself now as what to do with Kerrigan. She had vanished into the darkness without even a flashlight. For all he knew she was now stumbling through the darkness while smashing her head against one bulkhead after the other.

Perhaps then she would feel the same headache Bowski felt right now.

"Ain't gonna run after her, no way!" the Marshal muttered to himself.

However, that conviction only lasted for roughly twenty seconds, after which Bowski realized that his ass would be turned into fried bacon should anything happen to this woman.

"I swear, Kerrigan, you are the most frustrating person I have ever met!" And so, he decided to follow her. Again.

* * *

Darkness...

Silence...

Nothingness...

A dreamless sleep, not by choice, but by necessity. How long had he slept? He didn't know. All he knew that when he awoke that he was alone. Gone was everyone. Not that it mattered. They had perished a long time ago, fallen victim to the abyss of time.

He wasn't sad. Not really. Death had been a gift to them. Finally, they had found their freedom. In a way, he was even happy for them. If he would remember how happiness felt like.

He tried to move his head in order to look around. He tried to open his eyes in order to see what was going on around him. But in both cases, his body refused to do it was supposed to do. What...what had happened?

With his body not responding, he had to use his other senses. They were dull, weak, atrophied in the centuries that he had rested. Still, when he reached out, he could sense something. It was faint, almost like the sound of the beach from the distance. Yet at the same time, there was so much power. It was calling him...

He recognized the sound. Or was it a taste? A familiar sensation, one that he had felt before. In another life. Something was odd. That scent, it was her. There was no doubt about it. Yet...there was a hint of someone else. He couldn't tell what it was, his mind was still clouded by the centuries of dreamless sleep.

However, even then he was able to remember the name that had burned itself into his mind. A name that was known to strike fear into the hearts of men. As he spoke, he did so not with one voice but many. All of them were speaking the same name over and over again.

"Kerrigan..."

It was time to wake up.

The Queen had arrived.

And wherever the Queen went, war was to follow.

* * *

"They did WHAT?!" Professor Allagan gasped in disbelief. He was surrounded by most of his students and looking up at the tallest member of this expedition.

"They entered the derelict." Sirella explained. "Not intentionally, I might add. Well, at least the Marshal didn't want to enter the wreckage willingly. As for Paula, well..." The Protoss sighed and dropped her head. "...she decided to stay behind."

 _I promised my grandfather to not lie for you anymore, Paula. I swear you will be the death of mine one day!_ she thought.

"Unbelievable. Unbelievable!" Allagan moaned. "This is a nightmare! This is not how a professional expedition is supposed to be like!" Seriously, this trip to Flemmington had been one big nightmare so far. And it would seem that the bad news was not about to come to an end anytime soon.

"Professor, what should we do next?" someone asked. The Professor rubbed his closed eyes and thought about their options. Unfortunately, he was a goddamn professor, not a marshal or an inspiring figure with a natural aura of authority. And so he did the only thing that seemed to be reasonable.

"We are going to wait." he declared, which earned him a few disbelieving looks.

"Uhm...Professor?" another student asked. "Shouldn't we, I don't know, help them? What if they are injured?" A fair question.

"Screw them! What if they touch or break something by accident!" someone else interjected. "This could be the most important archaeological discovery since Schliemann found Troy! We cannot allow some buffoons to ruin everything!"

"Hey, it's not nice to call the Marshal a buffoon." Sirella said. As for Paula? Well...

She was a big girl, she could take it. Besides, Paula still owed Sirella something for dragging her all the way out to Flemmington in the first place. Against contrary belief, not every Firstborn was eager to prove herself out in the field. Sirella was no warrior, no templar. She had never learned how to focus her mind and couldn't even summon a psi-blade even if her life depended on it. Then again, the Protoss hadn't fought any major war since the end of the only one that mattered. Sure, there had been skirmishes, even large campaigns against pirates and Tal'darim. But aside from that?

The age of the Templar had come to an end many centuries ago. Some complained about that. They were talking about the "good old days", even though they were too young to remember any of this. There was just one Protoss still alive who had actually fought during the Great War, and he wasn't really sad that nowadays there was no need for young Protoss to focus their entire life on learning how to fight.

No, wait. There were actually three Protoss who still remembered the Great War. But the other two were...

Ah, let's just say that it was a complicated matter.

Everything connected to Paula was complicated. Unfortunately, she was the only one who didn't care about that and acted as if everything was just _peachy_ all the time. And since Sirella didn't even have a mouth, she didn't know how a peach tasted either. Which mean that pretty much everything her friend did was a mystery to her.

"Perhaps you are right..." Professor Allagan mused. For a second Sirella thought that he was talking to her, but then she noticed how he looked over to the student that had complained about Bowski and Paula messing up the dig-site. "...neither the Marshal nor Kerrigan know how to handle something like that. It would be irresponsible to just let them roam freely."

"Yes..." Sirella muttered. "...allowing Paula to roam freely is irresponsible."

"I'm sorry, did you say something?" the Professor asked her. "I didn't catch that."

"Nothing! It was nothing!" the young Protoss stuttered. Allagan frowned and seemed to be confused for a moment, but then he just shook his head and turned his attention back towards his students and the other members of the research team.

"Young Mister Everton is correct. We have to concentrate on the reason why we came here in the first place. And we can do this. The Marshal said that he wanted us to stay together. And that is exactly what we are going to do. However, I also believe that we have an obligation. We came out here in order to uncover the past. And I think that everyone here agrees with me that the scientific importance of this discovery outweighs any risk we might encounter out here..." Professor Allagan fell silent for a moment, giving anyone who might disagree with this statement, to speak his or her mind. However, no one did so. The only one who was actually thinking that this was a bad idea was Sirella, and she was just fidgeting her fingers like a little girl. A very big girl.

Perhaps the only good thing about this situation was that her grandfather wasn't here to scold her for being so indecisive. The only reason why Sirella had accepted coming out here with Paula was because he had asked her to do so.

Oh, and because her teacher and the man that had taught her more about art than anyone before happened to be Paula's goddamn father...

"Next time they can come out here themselves and try to keep Paula on a leash." Sirella whispered to herself.

"Pardon me, did you want to add something?" the Professor asked her and only then Sirella noticed that everyone was looking at her as if they were waiting for her to call the shots. Why was everyone assuming that she knew what she was doing just because she was Protoss?

"No, don't mind me. Just...just say what you want to do and I will help as much as I can."

"Splendid!" Allagan beamed and patted with his hand on Sirella's arm. "There are a few heavy crates that we have to get to the dig site. They are too heavy for a human to carry, but you should be able to do that." And when Sirella heard that, she groaned on the inside.

 _From the heroic warriors that once saved the entire cosmos all the way down to furniture mover._ she thought. _Good thing that grandfather can't see me right now._

* * *

"Man, so many corridors." Bowski mumbled as he and Kerrigan reached another junction. "Is this ship made only out of corridors?"

"Fun-fact..." Paula declared. "...the length of all corridors combined is a bit over 600 kilometers."

"You're making that up."

"Maybe."

"Uhhh..."

"Aw, quit your whining, Marshal. We are almost there!" the young woman said.

"Great. And what exactly is "there"?" Bowski wanted to know.

"You'll see soon enough!"

Well, didn't that sound promising?

Not really. At least not to Bowski, who was coming to the realization that he had been drawn too deep into this whole mess.

"So, where exactly are we heading? Please, no cryptic nonsense. I think I reached my quota for unwanted surprises for one day."

"Ugh, fine..." Paula sighed. "We are heading to the main bridge."

"Why?" was Bowski's question. "There is no power left, all systems are dead. So, unless you just want to stand there and draw in stale air, I don't see what's so important about that place right now."

"You have no sense for the dramatic." Paula muttered. "There's something I need to check. And I can only do that on the bridge."

"And what would that be?" the Marshal wanted to know.

"Uh, could you quit pestering me with your questions? This is an adventure! You are supposed to enjoy the ride, not let me spoil everything for you!" was Paula's answer.

"I prefer not to walk into a situation with my pants down."

"Ha, now that's a sight I would pay money to see it!" the young woman chuckled. "Also, suck it up, Marshal. We are almost there. If I remember correctly, then the next junction will be the last one, and after that it will be just a few more meters to the bridge."

"You seem to know your way around an ancient battlecruiser. Which is odd since I'm pretty certain that you don't belong to the other eggheads. What's with that?" Bowski wanted to know.

"Oh, now someone is finally getting curious!" Paula teased him. "Yeah, you're right. I'm actually a loan."

"A loan?"

"Yep. Remember my aunt? The one I told you about?" Paula asked.

"You mean the expert on Zerg?"

"That's the one. Well, she and the Professor worked together on a project regarding Koprulean history. They were responsible for a big exhibition and shared a lot of information. And that led to some interesting questions."

"Questions? What kind of questions?" Bowski wanted to know. My, wasn't he in a talkative mood.

"Well, after going through all those files and documents they realized that there were a lot of things that didn't make any sense. Some of the historical documents mention names that they don't know anything about but seem to be of some importance."

"They?" Bowski muttered. "Sounds like you are no part of them."

"I ain't." Paula admitted.

"Huh?"

"In case you haven't noticed it yet; I'm not exactly egghead-material." the young woman explained. "I'm just here in order to make sure that the Professor and the students don't get lost."

"By leaving them behind? You have a weird definition of "not getting lost"."

"Trust me, I'm awesome when it comes to finding things. In fact, I was the one who figured out where to find the big girl." Paula declared with a proud tone in her voice.

"Sure." Bowski replied dryly. "You strike me like the person who's highly capable in finding stuff that has been lost ages ago."

"I do recognize sarcasm when I hear it, Marshal."

"Gosh, did you notice that I was being sarcastic? Oh, that was so not my intention!" Bowski muttered.

"I'm a lot more competent than you think. Trust me, once you get to know me better you will never doubt my skills again."

"Like Sirella who's constantly doubting you?"

"...smartass." was Paula's only reply.

"That from you? Sounds like a compliment."

That marked the end of their conversation. At least for the time being. Bowski did notice a faint smile on Paula's face, which was proof enough that she was actually enjoying this sort of bickering.

"Must have been quite the sight." Bowski muttered after a while. "Seeing this thing when it was still in one piece and working."

"She was a beauty." Paula declared. "Although she was always about to fall apart. But she had a good crew, and a great chief-engineer who knew how to treat her right. It's good to see that someone carrying that name are still around. Still, I wonder if the Magistrate is actually related to him. She sure has the right size. And there is a resembles."

"Just what the hell are you babbling about?" Bowski asked.

"Nothing. Just remembering something from way back. Like...really way back."

"Hmm...if you say so. Still, what's with that "always about to fall apart"-stuff? This was the flagship of the Dominion, right? I know that space travel was a lot more dangerous all that time ago, but they sure knew how to keep a ship in good shape."

"What?" Paula asked and stopped. She looked at Bowski with a confused expression on her face.

"The _Rebel Heart_." the Marshal said. "I mean, this is supposed to be the flagship of the Dominion, right?" When Paula heard that question, she blinked a few times as if she had to gather her thoughts.

"Oh...yeah, right. The _Rebel Heart_. Of course." she muttered. "Well, things were a lot different a thousand years ago. Let's just leave it at that."

"Kerrigan!" Bowski growled when he realized that she was doing it again. "You know something, don't you?"

"Oh!" Paula suddenly shouted. "Look, there's the door to the bridge!"

"Don't change the topic, woman!" the frustrated Marshal barked.

"All your questions will be answered once we are on the bridge. Trust me."

"You don't inspire confidence, Kerrigan."

"Aw, quit being a party-pooper. Come on, you will like this!" And when they finally reached the heavy door, Bowski decided to give her one last chance to prove that she wasn't a complete dud. Which was probably a pointless exercise anyway but it wasn't as if the Marshal had anything else to do anyway. Paula looked for the button to open the door and rubbed her hands against each other when she found it.

"Haha! Open Sesame!" she said and pressed the button.

…

…

…

"Guess your luck has run out, girl." Bowski mumbled when nothing happened.

"I told you to not call me a girl, boy." Paula growled and frowned. Bowski noticed her confusion. It was as if she didn't understand why the door wasn't working.

"This thing had been out here for centuries..." he mumbled. "...you probably were just lucky with the first button."

"No..." Paula whispered to herself. "...this is something else." She then looked over her shoulders and squinted her eyes. "Still there, eh? After all that time. I wonder..." But then Paula shook her head and took a deep breath. "Well, I guess we have to do this the old-fashioned way."

"Meaning?" Bowski wanted to know as he watched how the young woman walked over to the door and looked for something.

"These old things used hydraulics. I doubt there's still some pressure left in the system. I'm sure we can push this thing open if we put some grease into it." she explained.

"Sounds like fun." the Marshal mused. "Not my kind of fun, though."

"Aren't you going to help a lady?" Paula gasped. "What has become of chivalry? Opening a door for a lady should be your second nature!"

"I'm a firm believer in equality." Bowski replied and crossed his arms in front of his chest. "Also, I'm not seeing any lady right now."

"Oh, hu hu! You are a big meanie!"

"Yeah, cry me a river."

"Marshaaaaaaaaaal!" Paula whined. "Come on! I promise you that all your questions will be answered if you just help me open that door!"

"So, wait, behind this door is the answer to the question how I avoid that damn tax filling?"

…

…

…

"Okay, I get it, you are annoyed." Paula sighed. "Please, dear Marshal Bowski, could you help me open the door so we can enter the bridge?" Bowski took his sweet time until he sighed and walked over to Paula. A victorious smile appeared on her face and-

"Wipe that grin off your face, Kerrigan." Bowski growled. "Once you got what you came here for, we are going back topside. And then we will have a long conversation that you won't like."

"Now that's a promise any lady likes to hear!" Paula mused. That's when she grabbed one side of the heavy door while Bowski did the same with the other side.

"One. Two. Three. Pull!" she said and they both used their combined strength to pull like crazy. But even then, the door put up one hell of a fight. All that rust had locked it in place and Bowski felt as if he was about to rip his arms off when a loud, metallic screech echoed through the darkness.

"Come on!" Paula snarled. "Don't stop now!"

"Sunnoffabitch!" Bowski gasped. It took all of his strength to force the door open, and even then, they only managed to get there halfway. But when they did...

"Whoa...quite the workout." Paula groaned and shook her hands. "Man, that door sure doesn't like to play nice." Bowski looked at his own hands and could feel how his fingers hurt. Maybe he should have put on some gloves first.

"Well, here we are. The bridge of the...ship?" Paula said and her voice trailed into nothingness when she looked through the door. Bowski followed her gaze and frowned.

"That's not the bridge." the Marshal noted.

"Uhm..."

"That's a damn elevator shaft."

"Uhhh..."

"Which means..." Bowski concluded. "...that you have no effin' clue where the bridge is. Isn't that right?"

"Uh...say, Marshal, remember that junction a while back? Maybe if we go left, we might...hey! Marshal? MARSHAL!" This time it was Paula doing the yelling, yet it didn't do her much good.

"I'm going back to the entrance point. This thing has been going on for far too long." Bowski growled as he stomped away. Behind him, Paula sighed and looked down the empty elevator shaft.

"Guess this will take a bit longer than I thought it would. Bummer." Then she turned around and followed the Marshal in defeat. When they were gone, the half-opened door remained behind. And when silence returned to this place, a voice echoed through the darkness, a voice filled with pain and despair...

"...Kerrrrrrigannnn..."

Amidst the darkness, a thin tentacle emerged from the open door...


	4. Chapter 4

**...**

* * *

 **Chapter 4**

 **A Glimpse of the Past**

* * *

''I don't want to sound like an asshole..." Bowski sighed when he was finally back on the surface again. „...and given the fact that without you guys I would be still stuck down there with _that one!_ " he growled and pointed with his finger at the young woman that was climbing out of the hole in the ground.

"I heard that!" Paula muttered. "You are not a nice person, Marshal!" However, Marshal Bowski didn't pay any attention to her when he addressed the other people that had gathered around them.

"But I must point out that I gave you a direct order not to leave the base-camp." the Marshal explained and looked at the Professor, the students and the members of the research staff. When he noticed the unhappy looks on all the faces, he sighed and relented. "However, since you at least stayed all together I will not call for a shooting squad today." Unfortunately, no one really seemed to get his joke. Or worse, they believed that he was actually dead serious about that.

Well, whatever.

"Marshal, I don't want to sound rude, but entering the derelict just like that might have caused some serious damage." Professor Allagan whined. "I don't want to question your sense of professionalism..." Which he totally was by saying something like that. "...but by trespassing, you might have destroyed artifacts of the utmost importance and-"

"Don't worry." Bowski cut him short. "The only thing we saw were endless corridors. Oh, and we know now that Kerrigan has an awful sense of direction."

"Hey, it was me who found this baby in the first place!" Paula protested.

"Which I still find hard to believe." Bowski shot back. "Anyway, thanks for helping us out there. Much appreciated." The Marshal then looked over to the hole in the outer hull of the derelict and sighed. "Well, I see you didn't waste any time in my absence."

"We stayed together." Professor Allagan defended himself. "But we didn't want to waste another day. So, we decided to start with the excavation."

"Excavation, huh?" Bowski mumbled and looked over at that small crane the team had placed right next to the hole in the outer hull of the recently discovered battlecruiser. The same crane that had a rope attached to it that both Bowski and Paula had used to climb back up. Perhaps Bowski should be angry for the research-team not listening to him...again. But right now, he was just grateful that they had helped him back up again. The fresh air out here sure felt nice.

"So... what did you see down there?" the Professor asked both him and Paula.

"What I just said: Corridors." the Marshal mumbled. "We didn't get very far. Thankfully Kerrigan can't tell left from right."

"I'm standing right over here. You know that, right?" Paula protested.

"So, you want to start with exploring the derelict right away?" Bowski asked Allagan, completely ignoring the young woman next to him.

"Not right away, but soon." Allagan informed him. "First we want to bring some more equipment up here from the base-camp. If we want to do this, then we should do it right."

"Amen to that." Bowski sighed. "Well, you won't hear any arguments from me. Slow and steady sounds like the way I like it most." There was an awkward moment of silence and when Bowski looked over to Paula, he noticed how she blushed.

"What?"

"You do know that there are several ways on how to interpret that statement, right?" she asked and only then the Marshal realized what she was talking about.

"You're a bag of fun, Kerrigan. And you got a smutty mind." he scoffed her.

"Tell me about it." Paula sighed, which was probably the weirdest answer she could have given him. Bowski shook his head and turned his attention back towards Allagan.

"What about the supplies?" he asked and the Professor blinked a few times in surprise.

"Huh? Supplies? Oh! You mean the Firns and Boyle! Yes, they have arrived a few hours ago. We got all the supplies we need now." Allagan guessed correctly. At least that's what Bowski believed. He was referring to the two people they had sent back to Russou City in order to get important supplies. The Marshal had actually forgotten the names of those two roughly twenty seconds after the Professor had introduced his team to him. Fun fact: Bowski suffered under a bad memory for names. He usually could only remember a name if a certain person was either truly special...

...or truly obnoxious.

"You know what?" Kerrigan moaned right next to him. "We should have checked if there's a bathtub in that derelict. I could use a bath right now."

Meet exhibit A. Case closed.

"If you're already missing constant hot water, Kerrigan, then maybe you should have stayed home. Or you could head back to Russou City. Legend says that there is supposed to be a golden bathtub in the Magistrate's bathroom." Bowski mused.

"I'm not made out of sugar." Kerrigan declared.

"Too bad." the Marshal replied, which caused Paula to smile at him.

"Aw, that is such a sweet compliment!" she beamed.

"It isn't." Bowski informed her. "Sugar dissolves in water." And then he turned around and walked away, heading towards the base-camp. Paula opened her mouth, ready to reply something, but then she froze when she realized that he had indeed dissed her. Next to the young woman her friend Sirella appeared and seemed to be very amused by the fact that Paula was actually speechless.

"Solid burn, Paula." the Protoss teased her. "He got you good!"

* * *

As the day went on, Bowski was mostly busy watching the small research-team doing whatever research-teams were supposed to do. He didn't claim that he understood everything they were doing, but most of the stuff looked pretty underwhelming to be perfectly honest. Roughly half of the team were simply busy cleaning up rubble and dirt around the hole in the hull. They were searching every square inch of the derelict for clues. It was somewhat amusing to watch. Most of the battlecruiser was buried beneath dirt and dust. Not even one percent of its surface was accessible. Bowski and Kerrigan had searched the area for days, hoping to find a hatch or some other sort of access point. But after a few days they had realized that those were all buried beneath the surface. And so, they had searched for another way to get inside. Not an easy task considering that this was still a battlecruiser. The blowtorch Bowski had used to cut through the hull had only worked because they had found a place on the hull that wasn't covered with heavy armor-plates. And even then, it had taken quite some time to find the exact location where to cut the hull open.

Needlessly to say that it had taken them a lot of time to find this place. That was the reason why they had almost run out of supplies and why Fitz and Blakblak, or whatever their names were, had returned to Russou City in order to get food and other stuff.

Honestly?

Bowski had hoped that by now they would have given up on finding the long-lost battlecruiser. The fact that they had actually found the thing had somewhat ruined his plans. He still hadn't come fully to terms with the fact that he had to babysit these people for God knows how long. So, without anything else to do, Bowski did what he was best at: He made sure that nothing would go wrong. Walking the perimeter, checking on the researchers both in the base-camp and the excavation site, making sure that no one would do anything stupid. That doesn't sound very heroic, sure. But it was an important task nonetheless. And a very tedious one.

As already mentioned, one of Bowski's greatest strengths was his discipline. And it came quite in handy considering how tedious this whole task was. Walking from A to B, only to check on the people, then walk back from B to A, only to tell the people what the others from point A want them to do, only to walk back to A again and _tell them_ that B needs equipment XYZ which the folks of A had already carried there and the guys at B just had to look harder.

Yeah, sounds like fun.

It was a boring task, one that involved not much skill. But it suited Bowski just fine. At least that way he had something to do and could keep an eye on the team at the same time.

As he was walking towards the base-camp, he encountered Sirella again who was busy carrying those pieces of equipment that were too heavy for one human to shoulder. And while the Marshal had no idea what was going on inside that alien head of hers, he could swear that she seemed...happy.

"Sorry, Marshal! Could you step aside? This thing is pretty bulky and I can't really see what's right in front of me." the huge Protoss explained and Bowski made way for her.

"You seem to be in high spirits." the Marshal mused. "Have you found a new way to occupy your mind?"

"Something like that I suppose." Sirella replied. "At least now I have something useful to do."

"Sure seems that way. Anything I can help you with?"

"I doubt it. This thing is heavy, even for me. But you could make sure that no one blocks my path or walks up right in front of me. I almost bumped into two people already, and if this thing falls on someone then-"

"I get the picture." Bowski sighed. "Yeah, come on. Let's get this...whatever this is...to the excavation site." A nice side-effect of this situation was that the Marshal finally had the time to talk with Sirella without Kerrigan being around. And that was an opportunity he couldn't allow to just pass by. Not if he had to assume that he would be out here with these people for quite some time.

"I don't want to sound intrusive or anything..." the Marshal started. "...but can I ask you a few questions?"

"If it's about Protoss mating-habits, then no. I don't want to talk about that." Sirella muttered.

"That was actually the last thing on my mind."

"Oh...good. It's just really weird since most humans approach us and ask "how do you make babies. You don't even have any orifices!" It gets annoying after some time." the young Protoss mumbled.

"Don't worry, I don't want to know anything about how Protoss reproduce. I'm more interested in you...and your companion."

"Ah, yes." Sirella moaned. "She does have that effect on people, right?" And then the young Protoss sighed. "What do you want to know."

"Where did you meet? Don't get me wrong, I don't have any right to question your choice of friends. You two just seem to be a, well, how shall I put it? Very odd couple."

"Yes, we get that a lot." Sirella mumbled.

"Is she really your friend?" Bowski asked.

"I guess so...wait, that came out wrong. Yes. Yes! Paula is my friend. But she's also a handful."

"So I noticed." was the Marshal's dry reply to that. "Forgive me if I'm so blunt, but your friendship seems a bit, well..."

"One-sided?" Sirella suggested.

"Not the word I would have used, but yeah."

"Is there any particular reason why you want to know more about her?"

"Not really. But I like to know who am I working with. The Professor and the other members of the research team? I think I have figured them out. And even you seem to be relatively easy to read." There was an awkward moment of silence. "Not that you are a simple person." Bowski then added hastily when he realized that his comment could be interpreted in different ways.

"Ha...don't worry. You didn't wound my pride or anything like that." Sirella told him. "As for Paula...well...she has her moments. It's not easy for her either."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Bowski wanted to know.

"It means...eh, I don't think I can tell you what that means." Sirella sighed. "Let's just say that I don't want to switch places with her. And considering from where she is, I would say that Paula turned out pretty normal."

"No offense, but I think I would like to hear more details."

"I'm sorry, but that is something I can't and won't do." Sirella explained. "It's nothing personal. But if you want to hear Paula's story, then you should ask her yourself."

"I doubt that she will give me a straight answer." Bowski mused.

"Yes, she does that." the Protoss mumbled. "Want a tip from me? Don't let it get to you. Paula has a way of driving people insane, but only if you take her seriously."

"That's a rather weird way to talk about a friend." the Marshal replied.

"Paula can handle it. Here's another tip: She's a lot tougher than you might think. Also, don't tell her that I told you that. Or I wouldn't hear the end of it." Sirella explained.

"I shall keep it in mind."

"Tsk...now you sound like my grandfather." the young Protoss snickered.

"Honestly, I didn't even know that Protoss had grandfathers. Or grandmothers." That's when a frown appeared on Bowski's face. "Wait, you do have grandmothers, right? It's just...you know, come to think of it, this might be a weird question but-"

"Yes..." Sirella sighed. "...Protoss have two genders, just like humans. And yes, I am actually a woman. And yes, I had a grandmother. Two, actually. But don't ask me about any details on Protoss mating-habits. That is one awkward conversation I don't want to have again."

"That bad?" Bowski asked and Sirella shook her head.

"Sooner or later everyone asks those questions. "But how does it work? You don't have any orifices! I don't understand! Can you tell me?" And when I tell them, they are usually, well..."

"Underwhelmed?"

"Grossed out." the young Protoss replied. "Also, cut me some slack! I'm just 147 years old! In human years that would be...I don't know...sixteen?" When Bowski heard that, he couldn't help but snicker.

"Just 147 years old? Man, must be weird to be so old."

"I'm not old." Sirella declared. "Trust me, for a Protoss I'm barely out of childhood. Time is relative. For a human, 100 years might be a very long time. You grow up and mature so fast. For a Protoss, one hundred years are, well...they feel shorter. Let's leave it at that."

"In dog years I would be dead by now." Bowski joked and looked at the heavy crate in Sirella's arms. "Feels wrong to let you do all the heavy lifting. Is there anything I can do to help?"

"No, it's fine. At least I got something to do. And I can be of help. That's better than last time."

"Last time?" the Marshal asked.

"Eh...it's a long story. Let's just say that I've been getting used to being dragged all over the galaxy by Paula." Little did the Marshal know that Sirella was quite literal with that statement. When they finally reached the excavation-site, the research team had already managed to get a makeshift-elevator up and running. Bowski had to admit that this thing would come really in handy. Now people didn't have to fall to their potential death anymore in order to enter the derelict.

Quite the improvement.

The Marshal's spine was already grateful for this thing.

"Marshal! Good timing!" Professor Allagan beamed when Bowski and Sirella reached them. "We just sent the first team down in order to start the excavation. And since you were already down there-"

"Ohohoho no." Bowski growled. "Nope, I don't want to head back down there. I wasn't keen on entering this thing in the first place and I'm not keen on getting back down there either. This is your gig. I'm just here to make sure that everyone comes back home alive and-" That's when suddenly a voice came out of the hole in the hull of the derelict.

"Professor!" a student yelled. "Miss Kerrigan just walked away and now we can't see her anymore!" There was an awkward moment of silence and everyone above the surface looked over to Bowski, who could feel how his eyelid started to twitch.

" _KERRIGAN!"_

* * *

The heavy, reinforced door hadn't been opened in hundreds of years. As Paula stood in front of it, she hesitated. Yes, it was true, she hadn't found her way here right away. But hey, nobody was perfect. Even if that statement was somewhat ironic considering who we are talking about here. As Paula stared at the door, she had to think about the journey she had done a couple of years ago. She had told everyone that she was fine but in truth she still had a hard time coming to terms with that she had witnessed.

Now she was back.

Paula placed her hand on the cold metal of the door and brushed with her fingers over the oxidated surface. The metal had turned brown and there was nothing left of the ornaments that once had adorned the door. Too bad.

"Dad always says that you were a beauty. Too bad that the others can't see you like you used to be." she whispered. Then again, even if they could see her in her prime, would the others see the same thing Paula did? Probably not. Because they lacked context. They didn't know what this vessel stood for. How could they? They probably had never heard that name before. Sirella was an exception. She knew about the true value of this relic. But even then, she only understood it with her mind. Paula knew that her friend didn't feel anything when she walked through the endless corridors of this ship, not as she did.

Paula looked for the button to open the door. It was exactly where it was supposed to be. She knew that there was no energy running through the circuits. It was just like before, when the Marshal had tried to open the door. Paula had used a tiny spark of her energies in order to open the door. To everyone who didn't know who she really was or what she could do, it had truly looked like a freak coincidence.

This time she didn't have to hide who was responsible for it. The moment she touched the button, a tiny spark sprung over from her body and a sudden surge brought the door to life, even if it was only for the fraction of a second. However, it was more than enough in order for the old mechanism to do its job. The door sprung open, if only a bit. But that was more than enough for Paula to gain access. Right in front of her was nothing but darkness yet she knew that there was no threat lurking in front of her. She took a deep breath, braced herself, squeezed herself through the door and then...

* * *

The moment the door opened and she stepped inside, she was greeted by an all-too-familiar sight. They were all present, each and every single one. And they were all busy licking the big man's boots.

Pathetic, really.

She didn't even have to read their thoughts to know what they were thinking.

The group of men was all standing around a huge holographic table that was currently showing an image of a starsystem unknown to even her. And that said a lot, considering that she had visited dozens of systems and hundreds of worlds so far. And those she hadn't visited yet or heard of were simply too unimportant to care.

"...it's just a wild goose chase." someone muttered. "With all due respect, Sir, I don't think that we should waste any resources on this thing. Our forces are stretched out thin. If we commit any more forces to this operation, we might end up open to an attack of the Confederacy."

"I agree." someone else said. "This operation seems to be a waste of resources. We don't have any intel on that location anyway. Sir, I am sorry, but I cannot see how this will help us with our agenda." Of course, they couldn't see it. They were so blind to everything going on around them that she wouldn't be surprised if they couldn't even find their own butts in broad daylight. As the young woman walked towards the group of officers, she noticed how the rest of the bridge's staff noticed her and how they started to exchange annoyed and worried looks.

 _What's she doing here?_ she could hear the thoughts of a man nearby.

 _God, why does the boss allow this freak to run around freely?_ someone else thought.

 _One thing the Confederacy did right; turning these freaks into mindless drones. You need to be human if you want to enjoy human rights._

Their thoughts didn't hurt her. She had learned to ignore them a long time ago and...

No. That was a lie. It did bother her. But the bitterness that filled her heart had helped her to focus her anger on other things. They were pathetic, each and every single one of them. Not because they feared her. But because they believed that they were actually superior to her. When the officers noticed that she was approaching, they tried to act as if they hadn't noticed her. Fun-fact: If you deal with someone who can read minds, then "acting as if nothing happened" serves no purpose at all. Except for lying to yourself maybe.

The young woman stopped and straightened herself. Since she was no longer part of any _real_ military anymore, she didn't bother saluting. However, she showed her respect by acting like a true professional. The voices of the officers died down and she could feel their burning gazes on her. It didn't take a psionic to know what they were thinking right now. Pathetic, really. All of them. All of them except for one person...

"Ah!" the man in command sighed when he finally noticed her. He looked up from the hologram and when their eyes met, the young woman noticed the soft, almost fatherly expression on the older man's face. "Look who's back. What do you have for us, Lieutenant?" he asked, skipping all the pleasantries. She was thankful for that since he knew that she hated useless chit-chat.

"Sir, I have reviewed the incoming information from Antiga Prime. It would seem that your plan was a complete success. The official news is not mentioning what's going on on the planet right now, but we made sure that footage of the riots would leak to other worlds. Right now, the Confederacy is facing an open revolt of unprecedented size and force. So far, they haven't been able to contain it. We also intercepted secret transmissions from the local magistrate. It would seem that he's in panic and asking for help. So far Tarsonis hasn't sent him a proper reply." When she noticed the faint smile on the man's face, she couldn't help but shiver. This had been his plan. He had told her that the whole world of Antiga Prime was one big powder-keg, ready to explode. She hadn't really believed him but it had hardly mattered. His orders had been clear; to go down there and make a messy situation even messier. And that's exactly what she had done.

"Hmm...it would seem that we have hit the Confederacy right where it hurts the most." the older man mused and then a proud smile appeared on his face. "Good job, Lieutenant Kerrigan. I knew that you would pull it off." When Kerrigan heard that, she felt a surge of pride in her chest. But at the same time, she couldn't ignore the frustration.

"I am not the only one who deserves praise." she explained with a cold tone in her voice. "The officer you sent proved to be-"

"Whoa! Now that's one fancy bridge! Is this a battlecruiser or a luxury liner?" a new male voice suddenly appeared right behind her. Kerrigan gritted her teeth when she realized that he had finally caught up with her. Too bad, she had hoped that she had lost him. When the man approached the group of officers, the young woman could sense the disapproval of the other officers.

 _From what gutter did they pull this guy out?_ someone thought, which put a smile on Kerrigan's face. There was some irony to it. A useless cockroach was complaining that there was an unwashed monkey present. However, the only man whose opinion actually mattered seemed to have made up his mind a while ago.

"Captain Raynor." the older man declared. "Good to see you in one piece, son. It would seem that I made the right decision to put you on point for this mission."

"Yeah, well..." James Raynor replied and put his hands into his pockets. "...things went sideways twelve different ways down there, but we managed. Somehow. Don't ask me how, though, I have no effin' clue."

"Hahahaha..." the older man laughed when he heard that. It was a warm laugh, one that inspired trust. "...I can hardly wait to read your report. I am certain that it will be less dry and more amusing to read than most other reports I get these days."

"Wait, I have to write reports?" Raynor whined. "No one said anything about writing reports! I thought we wanted to get rid of the Confederacy so no one would ever have to write reports again! Mengsk, that wasn't part of the deal!" When Arcturus Mengsk heard that, he threw his head back and burst out in laughter. This time it was loud and came straight from the heart.

"Bwahahahaha! Oh, I guess the jig is up. You have uncovered my deepest and darkest secret. My plan is to make everyone write reports until their hands fall off. I am a wanted terrorist after all."

"It's a devilish plan, I give you that much." Raynor mused while smiling. "Also, I'm all game for beating the Confeds with their own weapons." While Kerrigan listened to these two men bickering like old friends, she could barely contain her frustration. The mission on Antiga Prime had been a success...barely. It had been a sloppy job, and they had to thank said Captain Raynor for that. He and the former Magistrate of Mar Sara had joined the Sons of Korhal only recently, and while the Magistrate had proven to be a capable man. And, more importantly, someone who knew when to shut up.

The same could be not said about James Raynor, however.

She had met this caveman just a day ago but she already knew that she would die as a happy woman if she would never ever have to work with him again. What was there to say about James Raynor? Well, for starters he acted like he was a true badass, the kind of rouge charmer women are supposed to adore. What a load of bullshit. The next thing was the fact that he was utterly reckless and ignored every advice and/or order she had given him. How was she supposed to respect a fellow officer if that idiot couldn't even follow the simplest orders?

And she wasn't even talking about the fact that his mind, in true caveman-fashion, was only interested in how he could use her body for his own fun.

Lieutenant Kerrigan stood by her word when she had called him a pig. The image she had seen in his mind when he had lay gaze upon her for the first time had been...

...well, let's just say that she would never ever do what he was thinking. And certainly not with him. The day Sarah Kerrigan would ever think about having sex with James Raynor was the day when hell would freeze over.

"Sir, I do not wish to sound impertinent, but while the mission was a success..." Kerrigan explained. "...our forces took many unnecessary risks and-"

"I am aware of the situation." Arcturus Mengsk cut her short and raised his hand in a gesture to show her that he wasn't angry. "Do not worry, Lieutenant. The Magistrate already debriefed me. Yes, the mission didn't exactly go as planned and involved a lot more explosions that I would have expected, thanks to Captain Raynor's leadership-"

"If it's stupid and works, it ain't stupid." Raynor defended himself.

"...what matters is that we achieved our goal. The Magistrate, Captain Raynor and yourself, you did a splendid job." Mengsk continued. "Thanks to you and your achievements on Antiga Prime, we can move on to the next step of our operation." The leader of the Sons of Korhal straightened himself and looked at the other officers standing around the holographic table.

"My staff and I are currently debating the benefits of another mission deep inside enemy territory. You just joined us when things were about to become interesting." Mengsk explained and a faint smile appeared on his face when he looked at the other officers. "My staff is urging me to just forget about this mission and move on to a more promising one. Yet I am certain that it is just the right task for someone like you." That statement actually sparked Kerrigan's interest, yet she kept her cool and didn't show that she was intrigued.

"Sir." was everything she said with a toneless voice and the smile on Mengsk's face became a bit wider. He looked down and pressed a few buttons in front of him and the hologram they were all looking at changed. It suddenly showed a world Lieutenant Kerrigan had never seen before.

"This is Ramelow." Mengsk explained.

"Never heard of that world." Captain Raynor muttered.

"I'm not surprised. It's at the ass-end of this sector, even when compared to such backwater worlds like Mar Sara. No offense." Mengsk said to Raynor.

"None taken. Mar Sara is a backwater planet after all. Or was, anyway." the former Marshal of said world mumbled. Mengsk offered him a warm smile.

"Do not give up, Captain Raynor." he told the younger man with a fatherly tone in his voice. "One day you will return to the world, and so will all the others who came with you. I'm sure about that."

"Hear hear." Raynor sighed. "Hopefully there won't be any critters left once we-" he started, but then he was cut short by Kerrigan who had no love for this chit-chat.

"Sir!" she interrupted Raynor and looked Mengsk straight into the eyes. "I take it that this world is of strategic importance to our campaign?" When the leader of the Sons of Korhal heard that, he chuckled.

"Not really." That comment caused Kerrigan to frown. Under normal circumstances, she wouldn't have hesitated to probe his mind in order to get to the truth. However, Arcturus Mengsk was one of the few, maybe the only person in this galaxy that she trusted and respected. He was the only one who had ever treated her like a fellow human being and not like a living weapon.

Or a mere sex-object, like that caveman captain right next to her...

"Then you...wish us to use it as a staging point for a push deeper into Confederate territory." Kerrigan mused.

"No. It's so far away from the core worlds that it wouldn't make any sense to go there." Mengsk replied, which only caused the Lieutenant to frown even harder.

"I don't think I understand, Sir." she muttered and for the fraction of a second a sad look appeared on Mengsk's face. However, it vanished as fast as it had appeared and probably no one except for her had noticed it at all.

"Ramelow is absolutely unimportant. It has no strategic value whatsoever. And it is pretty much on the other side of the Koprulu Sector. Which makes it the perfect target for what I have in mind." the older man explained and pressed another button on the holographic table. The image of the planet changed and now showed a location on the northern hemisphere. "There is a Confederate garrison on this world. Nothing big, nothing special. A garrison like so many others on so many remote worlds. And that makes it so perfect."

"Uh...I'm sorry, but I think I would like to have more context to my context." Raynor muttered, who seemed to be just as confused as Kerrigan.

"As I said, this garrison is nothing special." Mengsk then explained. "It's generic. Our strike at Antiga Prime was a big one and it shook the Confederacy to the core. Now they are nervous that this will happen again. And mark my words; it shall do so. But not anytime soon. We dealt them a hard blow. I'm certain that these corrupt fascists on Tarsonis are now waiting for us to make our next move, and they are waiting for a big one. But instead of using a hammer, we will use a needle." When Kerrigan heard that, she squinted her eyes and stared at the hologram. There had to be something special about that place.

"Is it a secret installation?" she asked and Mengsk laughed once more when he heard that.

"No, my dear. It's what I told you what it is; a generic garrison. I want you to go there and make sure that it won't be of any use to the Confederates anymore." the leader of the Sons of Korhal declared. That's when suddenly Raynor hummed as if he had just had a revelation.

"Huh...you want to make them even more nervous!" he guessed and just when Kerrigan wanted to tell him to shut up since no one cared for his opinion, Mengsk rained in on her parade.

"Exactly." the older man explained with a smile on his face.

"Exactly?" Kerrigan asked with a hint of disbelief in her voice. Had that hillbilly just figured out Mengsk's plan just like that?

"The Captain is right." Mengsk continued. "The attack on the garrison on Ramelow will serve no real purpose, no strategic goal. It is a random attack. If anything, then the people on Tarsonis will wonder why we decided to attack Ramelow. Maybe they will send troops there, which would weaken their forces out here. But even if not, I have agents on other worlds who stand by to spread even more dissent. The Confederates should get the expression that their grip on the worlds on the fringe is a lot weaker than they think."

"So, we make them think that we can strike everywhere we want..." Raynor concluded "...both close to home and far away."

"I see making you Captain paid off." Mengsk replied. "The Confederacy's forces are currently unable to be everywhere at the same time. It's not just our rebellion. These aliens are giving them a hard time as well. By attacking Ramelow we can make us look bigger than we actually are. And it will help us to cloud our real target."

"And that would be?" Raynor asked.

"Hahahaha...all in due time, Captain." the leader of the Sons of Korhal chuckled. "Don't worry, you will be there. So will the Magistrate. And Lieutenant Kerrigan."

"Sir." Kerrigan said when he mentioned her. Mengsk looked her into the eyes and smiled.

"You are up for that task?" he wanted to know. "I need someone down there who can give the Confederates a wonderful show, one that they will remember. I need a soldier that can make it appear as if there are one hundred out there."

"Sir, being...flashy isn't exactly my style." Kerrigan admitted.

"No, it isn't. Bringing results is your style." Mengsk agreed and looked over at Raynor. "Being flashy is your style it seems. Especially when explosions are involved."

"I want to point out that the explosions tend to find me, not the other way round." Raynor mumbled.

"Well, I think that you two are the perfect choice for that mission." Mengsk explained. When Kerrigan heard that, she actually had a hard time to believe it.

"Sir?" she asked.

"You two did a good job down there." the older man declared. "That's why I will send both of you to do this mission. And before you ask, Captain Raynor, the Magistrate will not join you on this one. I need his skills for another task."

"When will we leave?" Raynor sighed.

"As soon as possible. There's a dropship waiting for you." Mengsk informed them.

"Ugh, great. Here goes the hot shower and a stiff drink." the Captain groaned and looked over at Kerrigan. "Seems like it's overtime for the two of us, Lieutenant." he mused. "Ready for another dance?" When Kerrigan looked him into the eyes, she didn't even try to hide her frustration.

" _I would rather swim through a sewer filled with bodies than to work with you again."_

That's what she wanted to say. Instead...

"Sir, with your permission we will depart immediately." Kerrigan said with a toneless voice. Mengsk straightened himself and placed his hands behind his back.

"Agreed. I expect the best from both of you. Do not let us down. The Sons of Korhal need officers like you. Bon voyage." he declared and Kerrigan saluted before turning around and storming off the bridge.

"Hey, Lieutenant! Kerrigan! Wait!" Raynor shouted and hurried after the angry redhead. Well, maybe he would have an unfortunate accident on the way to Ramelow. Accidents happen, right? Accidents that involve broken necks...

There was no doubt about it. Sarah Kerrigan would never _ever_ enjoy working with this man!

* * *

"Heh..." Paula sighed when she looked at the old holographic table. "...amazing. Even after all this time I can still feel her presence..." It was faint, almost non-existent. But only just almost. The young woman brushed with her fingers over the corroded metal of the table and frowned. This place had seen better days, that much was certain. She wondered if this thing was still working.

Even though she knew that there was no way in hell that the holographic table was still operational, she still pushed the on-button. Nothing happened, just as thought.

"Too bad. This would make a fine table for Dad. Could have used it for his art." Paula whispered and walked around the table in order to find out if she could actually salvage this thing and-

"WHOA!" the young woman screamed when she stepped on something hard and round and lost her balance. In an almost comical display, she slipped and her head and feet changed places. Paula landed flat on her back and groaned. "Ehhh...now I know how the Marshal felt." she sighed and grabbed the small thing that had caused her to fall. When she looked at it, she realized that it was...

...an empty booze-bottle.

"Dammit, Dad. Could have kept them in your quarters!" she groaned and sighed. She got back on her feet and groaned again. Yes, now she definitely knew how the Marshal had felt. Paula looked around and sighed. "Guess that's what I get for running around in the darkness." And indeed, the whole bridge was shrouded in it. She hadn't brought a flashlight along, simply because she didn't need one. To her, darkness was nothing to be afraid of because she knew that there was nothing lurking in the darkness.

Or, to be more precise, there was nothing lurking in the darkness that she had to be afraid of.

Still, walking around while there were deadly booze-bottles lying around wasn't the smartest idea, and so Paula put her hand into one of her pockets and pulled a small, spherical object out. It was a crystal and when she squeezed it with her hand, it suddenly started to glow and emit a bright light. She then simply threw it up in the air. The small crystal almost reached the ceiling and then...

...it just stayed there, floating in mid-air as if it was the most normal thing in the world.

As Paula looked at the bright light above her, a warm smile appeared on her face.

"Thanks, Uncle Karax. Your gifts are always the best." she mumbled. Paula sighed and turned around in order to-

"Who's Uncle Kara-"

"AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHMMARSHAL!" Paula screamed in terror when suddenly none other than Dan Bowski appeared right behind her. "To hell! You scared the living crap out of me!"

"Good." Bowski replied. "That's for running off without telling anyone to go." Paula needed a moment to calm down. She placed her hands on her chest and could feel how her heart beat like crazy. Phew, good thing that her family couldn't see her right now, they would laugh their butts off if they did!

"I swear..." Paula mumbled after a while. "...you are just as bad as my aunt when it comes to sneaking up on people!"

"Maybe you just suck at noticing people, ever thought about that?" Bowski shot back and then he pointed with his finger at the glowing crystal hovering right above them. "What in tarnation is that thing? Did you touch anything that you weren't supposed to touch, Kerrigan?" Only then Paula noticed that Bowski didn't seem to be angry. Just annoyed. _Very_ annoyed.

"Nooooo." she shot back. "That's actually my little toy. It's a gift. From my uncle."

"Uncle Karax?"

"Yep."

"He gave you some radioactive isotope? Must really like you." Bowski mumbled and made a step backward when he realized that this thing could actually be highly radioactive.

"That's not a radioactive isotope." Paula replied. "It's a crystal. A Protoss crystal that does only one thing: Emit light. Think of it as the Protoss-equivalent of a flashlight."

"How did your uncle get hold of something like that?" Bowski asked.

"He made it."

"Made it?!"

"Duh! He's a Protoss phase-smith, he does stuff like that!" Paula said as if it was the most normal thing in the universe.

"Wait...your uncle is a Protoss?" Bowski asked in disbelief.

"My best friend is a Protoss. I like Protoss. Everyone should have a Protoss friend!"

"You don't look very Protoss to me..." Bowski mumbled, which caused Paula to groan.

"We are not related by blood, if that's what you're thinking." she sighed.

"Right now, I don't even know what I'm supposed to think anymore..." the Marshal admitted. "Anyway, don't think that the fact that I'm not yelling at you means that you're in the green. The Professor is close to a nervous breakdown because you wandered off, and your "best friend" suggested to seal the hole in the hull and just pretend we never found it. With you still inside." There was an awkward moment of silence and then...

"Her words?" Paula whined.

"Her words." Bowski confirmed. When the young woman heard that, she dropped her shoulder and sighed once more.

"Guess I should say sorry to her." she mumbled and looked around. "Perhaps we should-"

"We should get back to the others as soon as possible. And with "should" I mean "will without any more delay". Understood?" Bowski growled. Paula looked at him and for a second it seemed as if she was about to do something crazy again. But then she just pulled her shoulders up and raised her hands in defeat.

"Fine, I will go. There's nothing interesting here anyway. I guess it's time to call it a day anyway." she mumbled and walked over to the door. Bowski looked up at the crystal and frowned.

"What about that thing?" he asked. "Don't you want to, I don't know, turn it off?"

"It can stay here." Paula said as she looked over her shoulder. "That thing won't run out of juice anytime soon, trust me."

"If you say so..." Bowski mumbled and decided to follow Paula. On his way out here actually scanned the room for anything interesting. It was the first time for him to actually be on the bridge of a goddamn battlecruiser. But aside from antique equipment and a lot of empty bottles lying on the ground, there was nothing that seemed to be of any interest and-

"Wait a second..." Bowski suddenly muttered and stopped. Paula had already reached the door and looked over her shoulder once more.

"You comin'?" she asked.

"Yeah, hold on a second." the Marshal then replied and walked over to the wall on the other side of the bridge. When Paula noticed what he was looking at, a cocky grin appeared on her face.

"Guess the secret is out." she whispered to herself. The Marshal didn't hear her, however. When he reached the wall, he looked at a metal plate with something engraved on it. There was a name on that plate. It was the name of the vessel. Bowski placed his hand on the cold metal and brushed some of the rust away. And when he read the name, the confusion on his face was clearly visible.

"Yo, Kerrigan!" he asked.

"My name isn't Joe Kerrigan. It's Paula Kerrigan. I'm no damn trucker!" she snickered.

"Whatever...say, wasn't this supposed to be the Rebel Heart?" Bowski wanted to know and turned around.

"Uh huh. The one and only."

"Then..." Bowski mused and pointed with his thumb on the nameplate. "...why does this thing say that the name of the ship is Hyperion?"


	5. Chapter 5

**So, I got a few notes from people regarding this story. Some wondered if it was wise to make it so obvious who Paula is, and who her parents are, since that kinda ruins the mystery. The thing is; this isn't supposed to be a mystery. This story is meant for those who have read "Putting the Pieces back together" first and foremost. And those who have read it already know who Paula is. So yeah, that piece of information isn't supposed to be a big secret. That doesn't mean that there won't be some mystery involved. However, this story is meant to be a "coming-of-age"-story. At least it would be nice if you look at it from that perspective.**

* * *

 **Chapter 5**

 **DON'T TOUCH THAT!**

* * *

''This...is quite unexpected'', Professor Allagan mumbled as he stared at the nameplate. "Hyperion?" Marshal Bowski, who was standing right next to the Professor, had crossed his arms in front of his chest and seemed to be less than thrilled about the recent development.

"Guess that means your quest for the Rebel Heart has come to an end before it even started." Bowski mused. "Sorry to hear that." That was only partially true, though. If this new discovery meant that the research-team would call it a day and go back home, then he would be more than happy to help them pack their stuff. But somehow Bowski had his doubts that things would turn out that easy.

They never did.

"I guess so..." Allagan whispered. Even though he was in charge of this research-trip, the Professor wasn't really a natural-born leader. He would probably need some time to come to a decision, time that Bowski was more than willing to give him.

The Marshal did kinda feel bad about it. He was actually wishing these people to fail their mission because he just wanted to get rid of them. Then again, he hadn't become a marshal in order to babysit eggheads. And the sooner Kerrigan would be off his back, the better.

Speaking of which...

"Hey! HEY! Watch it! Be careful with that!" the young woman barked while the other members of the research-staff were searching the bridge for anything that could be of use to them. Like something that would tell them what this place was all about. "Do you even know how to use that thing?" Paula asked when one student placed his finger on the keyboard of a station.

"Gosh, look at that." the male student whispered. "It's a keyboard. A real keyboard! Man, to think they used something like that back in the day."

"Uh huh, you sound as if they were one step away from chiseling messages into marble." Paula mumbled.

"Is this a digital computer?" someone else asked. "Gosh, just think about it! This thing used electricity in order to work, and not light."

"Yeah, well, here's a pro-tip if you ever find a battery..." Paula growled. "...don't lick it." And then she saw how another student was daring to touch a truly old-school monitor.

"Whoa, look at tha-"

"Don't touch anything!" Paula yelled and ran over to the other woman, only to slap her on the wrist. Kerrigan was busy telling people not to touch anything, which was somewhat hilarious given the fact that she liked to touch everything herself. "Seriously, people! This is an archaeological dig-site! Be more careful, goddammit!" As Paula was ranting off like some lunatic, Bowski looked over his shoulder and watched her with a hint of amusement on his face.

"Well, look who's acting like a professional all of the sudden." the Marshal whispered.

"I heard that!" Paula yelled at him from the other side of the bridge. "Also, Marshal, help me! These people have no respect for nothin'!"

"Rrrrrright." Bowski chuckled. "That doesn't remind you of anyone specifically. Or does it, Kerrigan?"

"Stop acting all high and mighty, Marshal! This is serious!"

"I know, that makes it all the sweeter." Bowski replied. "Also, these people came here to study the past. I'd say let them do their job. Also, could you try to calm down? You are making it harder for everyone to focus on their job."

"Calm down? CALM DOWN?!" Paula yelled. "This is an archaeological dig-site of immense historical importance! We can't just have some random people running around touching everything!"

"Random people?" Bowski asked. "You mean like a professor of history and his research-staff?"

"Tomatoes, potatoes!" Paula replied. "Anyway, can't you, I don't know, throw them off the bridge?"

"And why should I do that?" the Marshal wanted to know. The amusing thing was that they were both yelling at each other across the bridge, so everyone was able to listen to their little argument.

"Because...!" Paula started, only to fall silent.

"Yeah? Because?" Bowski shot back, yet when he received no answer, he just shook his head. "Perhaps you should get some fresh air." he suggested.

"I'm not leaving, there's..." the young woman tried to say, only to stop once more.

"There's what?" the Marshal asked once more but Paula just bit on her lip, which caused Bowski to sigh. "Fine, have it your way. But I won't have you here on the bridge shouting at everyone to not do their job."

"Meaning what?" Paula tested him. "You're gonna kick me out or drag me back to the surface?"

"Nope." Bowski replied and pointed at the huge Protoss that was with them. "I leave that to your friend. Sirella, would you be so kind?" And when Sirella heard that, she sighed and dropped her head in defeat.

"Story of my life. Yes, let's go Paula. This place is too eerie for my taste." the young Protoss said and turned around before walking towards the exit. For a moment Bowski thought that Paula was about to make a scene, but then the young woman just harrumphed and followed her friend off the bridge.

"Huh..." Bowski muttered when the two were finally gone. "...that was surprisingly easy." A small part of the Marshal's mind was telling him that this was bound to end in tragedy. Yet right now he had no nerve to deal with any of this. It would bite him at a later date. Bowski sighed and turned his attention back towards Allagan, who was still busy staring at the nameplate. The confusion and disappointment on the older man's face was clearly visible and Bowski actually felt a bit sad for him. So the least he could do was to show Allagan some sympathy.

"I guess that this revelation kinda ruined your day, huh?" the Marshal asked. Yeah, he was lousy when it came pep-talks.

"I don't understand..." Allagan whispered. "...the evidence we found clearly indicated that we were looking for the Rebel Heart." There was a hint of desperation in his voice.

"Hyperion..." the Marshal mused. "...has a nice ring to it. Can't say I've ever heard that name before, though."

"Neither do I." the Professor mumbled. "I don't understand this. We checked all the evidence several times over. This was supposed to be the Rebel Heart, not some forgotten ship of unknown origin." Okay, now Bowski actually felt bad for the man. He placed his hand on the Professor's shoulder and offered him a warm smile.

"Hey, it's still a battlecruiser, right? I'm sure that this thing holds a lot of secrets." the Marshal tried to cheer him up.

"Pah. It's a battlecruiser alright." Allagan replied. "Do you know how many of these vessels were built back in the day? Hundreds. Thousands if you count all sub-types. Every now and then they find a wreckage drifting in space or buried beneath tons of rubble. We didn't come all the way out here to uncover a battlecruiser. We came out here to find the Rebel Heart."

"So, what does that mean?" Bowski wanted to know. "Are you going to quit?" Allagan didn't answer that question for a very long time. And when he did...

"I don't know..." the Professor whispered. "...I just don't know." And then he turned around and looked at the other members of the research-staff who were all staring at them as if they were waiting for something to happen. Bowski, not to keen to break those people's hearts, leaned over to Allagan and whispered something into his ear.

"Maybe you should tell them to carry on for now. You know, until you made a decision." When the Professor heard that, he didn't seem to be very keen on doing something like that.

"I don't want to lie to my students." Allagan whispered back.

"Well, you don't want to tell them the truth right now either." Bowski shot back. "At least let them work on this thing right now. Go outside, take a walk, get some fresh air."

"I don't think that I want to do that right now." the older man mumbled, which caused the Marshal to sigh.

"Okay, then let's assume that what I just said wasn't a piece of advice, but a proper order. Get up there and take a breather. Don't worry, I will watch over your people down here."

"But-" Allagan tried to reason with Bowski, but the Marshal was in no mood to discuss this.

"No buts! Get topside. Now." If he wanted, Bowski could be one scary dude. His thin stature and face, combined with his hawk-like features, gave him something intimidating. And Professor Allagan was not the kind of person who wanted to find out wherever the Marshall was all talk and no action. And so, he dropped his shoulders in defeat and slumped off the bridge. It was actually a pretty pathetic sight. The Professor was in charge of this research-party, yet he had just been sent off the bridge like a little schoolboy. And when he was finally gone, the students and other researches seemed to be unsure on what to do next.

"Come on, people. This is what you came here to do." Bowski suddenly yelled. "Do your studying-old-stuff-thing."

"Archaeology." someone said. "It's called archaeology."

"Whatever. Get to it!" And with that, Bowski crossed his arms in front of his chest and leaned against the nearby wall while looking at the nameplate right next to him.

"Hyperion, hmm?" he mused. "It does have a nice ring to it."

* * *

 **4 Minutes earlier...**

* * *

"I'm not leaving, there's..." Paula tried to say, only to fall silent again.

"There's what?" the Marshal wanted to know once more, yet she decided to keep her mouth shut. The frustration was clearly visible on his face and he sighed. "Fine, have it your way. But I won't have you here on the bridge shouting at everyone to not do their job."

"Meaning what?" she demanded to know. "You're gonna kick me out or drag me back to the surface?"

"Nope." Bowski replied and pointed with his finger at Paula's friend. "I leave that to your friend. Sirella, would you be so kind?" And when Sirella heard that, she sighed and dropped her head in defeat.

"Story of my life. Yes, let's go Paula. This place is too eerie for my taste." the young Protoss said and turned around before walking towards the exit. For a moment Bowski thought that Paula was about to make a scene, but then the young woman just harrumphed and followed her friend off the bridge. And when they left that part of the ship behind, both Paula and Sirella walked down the wide corridor. For a while, they didn't say anything. Until...

"So, did you find what you were looking for?" Sirella asked.

"Nope." Paula replied. "Only a bunch of empty booze-bottles."

"I take it that those things are out of the question?"

"Are you seriously asking me that?" the young woman groaned. "Come on, that would be a total jerk move. Also, Mum would flail me alive if I would bring something like that back. Pacifist or not."

"Well, I guess we can go then." Sirella sighed in relief.

"Yep. We can go..." Paula agreed. Only to add a "...further down." When Sirella heard that, she stopped and dropped her shoulders.

"Aw, please no! No! Paula, I don't want to stay here any longer!"

"Suck it up, big girl!" her "friend" chuckled. "We still got plenty of decks to find something!" And with that, the argument was settled. Sirella followed her friend through yet another dark corridor. And after a while...

"Where are we going anyway?" the Protoss wanted to know.

"Deeper down the rabbit hole. What do you think?" Paula replied.

"What's a rabbit?"

"Nevermind." the young woman sighed. "I didn't find anything good on the bridge. So now we are going to look for something else."

"Like what?" Sirella asked.

"Ugh, I don't know! Something. I will probably know once I see it."

"We traveled more than twenty thousand lightyears, and you don't even know what you are looking for. I could have studied for my exams! I could have asked your father for advice! I could have-"

"Aw, quit your whining, Sirella. You know exactly what you were volunteered for this."

"I never volunteered for this!" the young Protoss protested. "I was commandeered!"

"Details, details." Paula replied. "Here, this way." She stopped in front of a heavy door and pressed the button right next to it. When nothing happened, she sighed and looked over her shoulder. "Care to give me a helping hand?"

"I carried heavy crates all day long." Sirella replied. "I got blisters on my hands. And now you want me to open that door?"

"Protoss can get blisters? Seriously? Why is this the first time that I heard about that? Also, your grandfather, my master and my uncle all have no blisters on their hands."

"Well, my hands are very _delicate_." Paula's friend declared. "I'm not a warrior or phase-smith."

"Too bad, we really could use a phase smith right about now." the young woman sighed and checked the button right next to the door.

"Well, you could have asked your uncle to join you!"

"Yeah, but then it wouldn't be a surprise, now would it?"

"Ugh..." Sirella sighed. "...once this is over, you owe me big time. Understood?"

"And that's the reason why I brought you along, Sirella. You are awesome when it comes to moral support!" Paula shot back and licked her finger, only to press it once more on the button. Suddenly the door sprung open and a metallic screech echoed through the dark corridors.

"Huh..." the young woman mused when she looked past that door. "...I was certain that there would be an elevator behind this door. Guess I should have paid more attention to all those stories they told me."

"I wish you would have listened to them when they told you to not do crazy stuff like this!" Sirella mused.

"They never told me anything like that."

"Ah, that explains a lot." the Protoss sighed and looked past the door as well. "Those are a lot of stairs. And it's pretty dark down there. Did I mention that I'm not overly fond of dark places?"

"Your eyes glow, you are your very own flashlight." Paula explained. "Just don't blink."

"Ever so helpful, Paula. Thanks."

"Yeah, well, cry me a river. Let's go down there." And with that, the young woman and her friend vanished through the door and descended deeper into the bowels of this long-forgotten relic of the past. On their way down, Paula pulled another crystal from her pocket and simply threw it up in the air. It started to glow but unlike the first one, this one stayed right over their heads, following them wherever they were going. When they walked past a door with a big three on it, Sirella couldn't hide her curiosity.

"So... how many decks has this thing anyway?" she wanted to know.

"Plenty." Paula replied.

"Ugh...that's really helpful."

"We want to go to deck five." the young woman then said. "What is there?"

"Just wait and see." Sirella's friend declared. It took them a while until they actually reached deck five. Not because there was so much room between the decks but because this place was a mess.

"You know..." Paula groaned when she pushed a huge piece of garbage out of the way. "...you could help me with this stuff!"

"I rather want to watch you doing some heavy lifting." Sirella replied. "It's a rare moment. I should take a picture of it and show it to your parents. I already have a title. "See Paula how you have never seen her before! Doing some manual labor!" How does that sound?"

"Lovely." Paula replied with sarcasm dripping from her voice. It almost looked as if someone had tried to barricade the staircase. Was this a leftover from the time when the ship had been under the command of the Raiders? Or was it due to a more recent event? "I get it, you are mad because I kinda left you hanging back there." the young woman then muttered. "And yes, it was not nice to drag you out here without telling anyone where we would go. But you know how important this is for me." And then Paula looked over her shoulder and stared at her friend with big, round eyes. And then there was a long and awkward moment of silence.

…

…

…

"Paula? Are you okay? Your eyes look kinda red and watery." Sirella wondered.

"I'm not blinking because I'm giving you puppy eyes." the young woman groaned.

"What are puppies?"

"Nevermind..." Paula sighed and started to blink again, only to curse when her dried out eyes soaked up some much-needed moisture.

"I know this is important to you. Trust me, I noticed how you talked about nothing else ever since you got this idea." the Protoss mused as she watched how her friend cleared the path for them. She had to give Paula some credit. Ever since they had come out here, her friend had done her best to tone down her powers. To everyone who didn't know Paula Kerrigan, she seemed to be nothing but a very weird woman.

Dan Bowski certainly thought so.

"But you should have told your family. Besides, I'm not sure that I'm the right choice for this. You should have asked your master to come with you. He could have posed as a human."

"Ha!" Paula laughed when she heard that. "Yeah, right. Tesson would have used that opportunity for yet another lecture. I swear, he feels some twisted kind of pleasure when he can tell me that I'm wrong about something."

"Sounds like paradise..." Sirella mumbled.

"What was that?"

"Nothin'!" And then the Protoss sighed as she watched how Paula tried to move a piece of equipment away that was clearly too heavy for a single human to move. So she walked up to her friend, placed her big hands on the crate, gritted her teeth (in a matter of speaking) and ignored the fact that her hands were covered with blisters. Even with their combined strength, they couldn't lift the piece of metal-trash but they managed to shove it to the side.

"What about your uncle?" Sirella mumbled when they squeezed themselves past the crate and continued their descent.

"Karax? Naaaa. He once told me that he has learned everything that Terran technology has to offer. Besides, he has been here before. I don't think that there's anything that's of any interest for him." Paula mused.

"I was talking about your other uncle," her friend mumbled, and Paula stopped for a moment.

"Uncle Joe?" she asked and then she shuddered as if a cold shiver was running down her spine. "Better not. Wherever Uncle Joe goes, death and destruction follows." And then she shrugged her shoulders and moved on. "Also, he can't keep secrets from my aunt. And whatever she hears, she has to report to my mother immediately. I think it's genetic. Actually, I'm pretty darn sure it's genetic."

"You could have asked one of your cousins."

"Which one? I got several hundred cousins." Again, not related by blood.

"I let you pick. I'm feeling generous."

"Ach...they are no fun, no fun at all! Besides, if I would bring one of them along, then I would have to bring them all along. And you know what that means. Also, I think Sarah hates me." Paula mumbled.

"I don't think she hates you." Sirella mused. "I just think she doesn't give a damn about you."

"So much better." Paula sighed. "Anyway, I did notice that you are trying to tell me that I should have picked anyone else but you for this gig. Before you pull any more suggestions from your butt-"

"I don't have a butt."

"...well, you can save your breath. You are the only one I can trust with this." When Sirella heard that, she shook her head.

"You know, just when I feel the urge to murder you and bury your corpse in the desert, you say something nice like that and I want to be your friend again." the Protoss explained.

"Aw, I love you too, big girl." Paula snickered. "Wait, you want to murder me?"

"Oh, look! Deck 5!" Sirella changed the subject and pointed her finger at the big, fat white five that was painted next to the door right in front of them. "Looks like we are here! Want to take point on this one?"

"Eh, sure..." the young woman sighed and decided to leave this topic for another day. Instead, Paula pressed the button right next to the door, and when the door sprung open again, she looked at her friend with an expression of utter disbelief on her face.

"Oh my gosh, Sirella! Did you see that? After all those years this thing still works! It's a miracle, I tell you! A mira-"

"It stopped being funny a long time ago, Paula." Sirella declared. "I know that it's you."

"Ack, should have brought the Marshal along. At least he would never believe how I actually pulled that off."

"Do you want me to get him?" Sirella suggested. "I just have to get upstairs and tell him you walked off on your own, I bet he will be here within seconds screaming your name like a curse."

"No, thanks." Paula shot back when she squeezed herself through the door. "I think I heard enough people yelling "KERRIGAN!" like it's a curse for years to come. Besides..." she said as she entered deck 5...

* * *

"...I don't want to see my own face for the next couple of, well, _centuries_." Jim groaned when he walked through the door and entered the crew-deck. The _current_ crew-deck. Originally deck eight had housed the crew-quarters, but since Stetmann's little science-experiment involving the waste-purification-system and the freshwater-supplies, that deck had been sealed off. Even now no one dared to open it in order to check it out.

"Yeah, well, I guess that is something you have in common with Mengsk right now." Matt Horner chuckled as he walked right next to his commanding officer and friend. Jim looked over at him with an annoyed expression on his face, but then he couldn't help it and snickered.

"Boy, I really wish I could see his face right now. Maybe we are lucky, and this will give him a heart attack." the leader of the Raiders mused.

"That certainly would be a nice thing." Matt agreed. "Though I doubt that the old bastard will make it that easy for us."

"You're right." Jim sighed. As they walked through the corridor, they encountered almost no crew-member. On a normal military vessel, that would have been impossible. One shift was working, another shift sleeping, and the third shift preparing to relieve the first one. Standard military protocol. Well, the Hyperion wasn't standard, and she sure as hell wasn't military. Besides, right now most of the crew was actually sleeping. Or they were still drinking.

"Can't believe you let the others off the hook." Jim chuckled as they walked through the empty corridors. "And I think Swann thought that you were pulling his leg when you told him that he could drink as much as he wanted as long as he would stay away from the nuclear warheads."

"Well..." Matt replied and shrugged his shoulders. "...we've been under a lot of stress lately. And that victory...heh, it sure felt nice to hit that old bastard where it hurt." When Jim heard that, he chuckled again and shook his head. Not even 24 hours had passed since the Raiders had pulled off the impossible mission of humiliating the great Arcturus Mengsk in his own home. To call the strike against the head of the Dominion daring would have been exaggerated. It had been plain stupid. Perhaps that was the reason why it had worked. Because no sane man or woman would have imagined that this little rag-tag team of misfits would march right into the UNSS Studios on Korhal and broadcast the proof of Mengsk's most heinous crime throughout the entire sector.

"You know..." Jim mumbled after a while. "...maybe now the ghosts of Tarsonis can rest a bit easier, knowing that the sector finally knows who's responsible for their deaths."

"You really think that?" Matt wanted to know.

"Dunno. But it's a nice thought." the older man replied.

"Yes, I guess it is." his second-in-command agreed. As they continued to walk on, neither Jim nor Matt said anything for quite some time. Until...

"You know, they have already found a name for our stunt. News stations across the sector call it the "Media Blitz". Kinda catchy if you think about it." Matt said.

"Meh, I'm not sure if they even understand why we did it." Jim scoffed. "They probably think that we just did it because we wanted to cause chaos because that's what renegades do."

"Well, you know what they say. Media ain't neutral." his second-in-command mused. "I guess we just have to accept that and play their game in order to get what we want."

"I guess it's not nice to think that way..." Jim mumbled. "...but seeing the shocked expression on Vermillion's face was kinda rewarding. Even though for all the wrong reasons."

"It only shows how deep the wound is that Mengsk inflicted upon all of us." Matt replied. "Even now there is hardly anyone who doesn't know someone who died on Tarsonis and..." That's when the younger man suddenly realized how sensitive that topic was. He glanced to the side and noticed the sad look on Jim's face.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't sweat it." Jim mumbled. "We got bigger things to worry about than what happened in the past." But even then, both men knew that this statement was a lie. As they came past an open maintenance hatch with cables hanging out from it, Matt couldn't hide his true colors.

"Goddammit." he growled. "When I told the crew to relax, I didn't mean to "drop everything they were doing and get drunk big time!" This is unacceptable!"

"Come on, the Hyperion has survived worse. A day more or less with her entrails blocking our way won't change much."

"Jim, that thing is a deathtrap! It's a disaster in the making! It's-"

"Wanna' get Swann and have him fix it?" Jim cut his friend short. For a second Matt seemed to seriously consider this idea, but then he just dropped his shoulders in defeat.

"Forget it, it has to wait. Swann's probably even drunker than either one of us." the younger man mumbled.

"Knowing him he's probably working on the engines or the reactor right now." Jim chuckled and then he tried to imitate Chief Engineer Rory Swann. "Remember, folks! If you want to check on fuel-cells, make sure to be full of fuel yourself!"

"That was a horrible impression." Matt declared.

"Ah, everyone's a critic these days." Jim growled

"Just because you make it look so easy." his friend and comrade replied.

"If only that were true..."

And then silence reigned supreme again. Though this time it wasn't the same kind of silence they had enjoyed before. Not even 24 hours ago, the Raiders had scored a major victory against Arcturus Mengsk by turning his strongest weapon against him. No, not guns. No weapons, ships or soldiers. There was something that was far more powerful, something that could end or start a war without anyone firing even one bullet.

The public opinion...

Revealing to the Koprulu Sector that the "benevolent Emperor" had sacrificed billions in order to achieve his goal was simply too big, too heinous for people to ignore it. Even now the media was full of reports of riots all over the Dominion. Given the fact that the Zerg were on the move again, this was probably the worst possible timing.

Jim had thought about this mission for a very long time before he had agreed to it. Not because he had any love for Mengsk. But because weakening the Terran superpower in this sector while the Swarm was on the warpath was not risky, it was plain stupid. In the end, however, Jim had decided to do this. He could have told people about the strategic importance of weakening the Dominion. On how this was part of a bigger agenda, a plan that would result in what Matt liked to call "a better future". As far as Matt was concerned, this was exactly what it was about. What it _should_ be about. As for Jim?

Well...

...he had done it for _her_.

Almost everyone had lost someone dear on Tarsonis that fateful day. Like said, it was almost impossible to find someone who hadn't lost a friend or family when the planet had been devoured by the Zerg, or at least they knew someone who had been on that world back then. Tarsonis had been the capital of the old Confederacy, the center of power and a cultural hotspot. No matter how despicable the Confederacy had been, the loss of Tarsonis had caused pain and misery all over the Koprulu Sector.

For many it was still an open wound that wouldn't heal.

And Jim was among those people.

Unfortunately, there was no time for him to grief. Not that it would change anything anyway. In a way, the others had it easier. Yes, it sounded wrong on so many levels. But think about it. Those who had lost loved ones the day the Swarm had ravaged Tarsonis at least could tell themselves that their friends, relatives or lovers were now in a better place.

But Jim?

He knew that his loved one was still very much alive.

In the worst way possible...

"So..." Matt muttered.

"So..." Jim agreed. They both knew what this was about, and both men had decided to beat around the bush for long enough.

"Have you made up your mind?" Matt asked as they walked around a corner and down yet another corridor. "Made a decision?"

"I... don't know yet." the commander admitted.

"I hate to be the spoil-sport on this one, Jim, but we need an answer. We need orders. Will you accept Valerian Mengsk's offer?"

Valerian Mengsk. Just when Jim had thought that he had met all sorts of annoying people, he had made the acquaintance of none other than Arcturus Mengsk's only spawn. He still felt like a sucker for not realizing that he and the rest of the Raiders had been played for months by Mengsk Junior. To most members of the crew, the name "Mengsk" was an anathema. The very idea that they could possibly work for the son of the man that had taken everything from them was...

...well, let's just say that Jim hadn't told many about Valerian Mengsk's offer.

Only members of the senior-staff knew about this. Oh, and Tychus. But only because he had been there with Jim when they had stormed the Bucephalus.

That had been several weeks ago. The fact that Jim hadn't put a bullet through Valerian's head right there and then had caused some controversy among the crew after they had found out about this whole gig. Even now they didn't know who had spilled his beans, but it didn't matter. So far Matt had managed to keep any form of dissent down. But would the Raiders actually accept working for Mengsk Junior? Or would they turn their back on Jim instead?

There was no way to tell.

"I need some more time, Matt. I'm sorry, but I can't make that decision right now." Jim muttered.

"I will try to keep the others off your back." his second-in-command replied. "Just make sure to let me know first before you announce it to the crew. I don't want to be caught unaware."

"I'll try to keep it in mind." Jim chuckled. Both men stopped when they reached Matt's quarter. "Well, here we are." the commander mused. "Teh, reminds me of all those times when I took a girl on a date and brought her back to the front door."

"Please don't tell me you want to give me a good night-kiss." Matt groaned. "I swore to fight at your side, nothing more."

"Heh, don't sweat it, Matt." Jim replied. "You're not my type anyway." And then the older man took a deep breath and looked his friend straight into the eyes.

"Thanks, Matt."

"Ah, don't sweat it. You deserved some fun. Especially after what we did today and-" But then Matt was interrupted by Jim.

"No, I'm not talking about today." Matt's superior explained. "I mean in general. For pulling my head out of the gutter so many times I can't even remember."

"Yeah, well, that's my job." Matt mused and tried to make himself less important than he actually was.

"You're doing a lot more than that, Matt." Jim told him. "Without you, the Raiders would have fallen apart a long time ago. I know that I wasn't always the commander you all want me to be. Heck, most of these days I don't even know why anyone still follows me."

"It's because-" Matt tried to tell, but then he was cut short by Jim once more.

"No, Matt. Not today. I'm just spent." Jim announced. "And so are you. Don't take it the wrong way, but you look like shit."

"Well..." Matt chuckled when he heard that. "...what can I say? You are my role-model, and I'm trying to be just like you. In every regard."

"God heavens, now that's a scary thought." the commander groaned. That's when Matt suddenly pulled something from his pocket. "What's that?" Jim wanted to know and that's when a smile appeared on Matt's face. He handed the small object over to Jim and only then the older man realized that it was a photo.

"Here. So you have something to remember. Because today we actually made the impossible happen," Matt declared, and Jim looked at the photo. It showed both him and his second-in-command, sitting inside the mess-hall of the Hyperion while laughing into the camera. Jim remembered that moment, it hadn't even happened a few hours ago.

"Gosh, I look so old on this photo." Jim chuckled and was about to hand it back to Matt. "You keep it. I got a bad streak when it comes to photos and-" But this time it was Matt who cut him short when he pulled another photo from his pocket.

"I made two copies. This one will get a special place above my chimney once this whole madness is over." Matt explained.

"Ever the optimist." Jim groaned and looked at the photo until a warm smile appeared on his face. He then placed his hand on Matt's shoulder and gave it a soft squeeze. "Thanks, man. Best present in a long time."

"Glad you feel that way. Now, Commander, go to sleep and sober up. That's an order," the younger man said and Jim laughed out loud.

"Ha! Yes, Sir! Right away, Sir!" And then Jim saluted, turned around and wobbled away and towards his own quarters. Both men smiled, yet when Jim vanished around the next corner, they both stopped doing that. Matt because he was worried...

...and Jim because he had already made up his mind wherever he would accept Valerian Mengsk's offer or not.

And that was a decision Matt wouldn't like one bit.

The executive officer of the Raiders then turned away as well and opened the door to his own quarters. And once he was inside...

* * *

...Paula looked around and frowned.

"I don't believe it." she whispered mostly to herself. Behind her, Sirella peeked into the room but didn't see anything spectacular. On the contrary, these quarters looked surprisingly clean and normal. Almost boring.

"So, there is a clean spot on this ship after all!" the young Protoss mused.

"Trust me, if you knew the guy who used these quarters, you wouldn't be surprised." Paula mumbled. Sirella, who had no idea who Paula was talking about, made a step backward and looked at the name next to the door.

"Captain Horner. Executive Officer." she read out loud and then her eyes widened in surprise. "Wait... _THE_ Matt Horner? The one your fath-"

"Yes, the one and only." Paula cut her friend short. A strange sadness suddenly filled her heart but then she shook her head and focused her mind on the task at hand. She walked into the room and looked around. There had to be something of value here...

"But why this place? Shouldn't we, I don't know, check someone else's quarter first?" Sirella wanted to know.

"There's nothing there. Trust me, I know." Paula explained. "Nothing except empty booze-bottles. And if I bring one of those back home, Mum will flail me alive."

"Then what are we looking for?"

"I don't know. Something. Anything. Matt was his best friend. Maybe there's something in here..." Paula mumbled and walked over to the nearby wardrobe. She opened it, but all she saw was a heap of dirt that looked like clothes that had rotted away a long time ago.

"Bummer. A pair of new boots would have been nice." Paula mumbled and turned her attention towards the spartan rest of the quarters. There was not much that could tell you who had lived in these quarters for several years. To anyone who hadn't known Matt Horner, this place probably looked like it belonged to the most boring person in all of existence. However, Paula knew better. Sirella seemed to be bored by all of this and walked into the nearby bathroom. And then...

"Hey, Paula, I think I found something!"

"If it's floating in the toilet, then I don't want it!" Paula replied. "And don't try to touch it. Just flush it down."

"What is this?" Sirella asked when she returned from the bathroom and held something thin and long up. Paula squinted her eyes and then she snickered.

"It's a toothbrush. You know, to brush your teeth? Wait, you don't have any teeth, of course you don't know what this thing is." A one-thousand-year old toothbrush. Sometimes old things had historical value.

And sometimes they were just old.

"Curses." Paula whispered. "There has to be something here. Anything!" Paula looked around and studied the room as if she was considering her options. Sirella, who took a more practical approach, walked over to a small metallic night table next to what once had been a bed and opened the top drawer.

"Uh. Who are they? And who is the old fart that looks like your fath-"

"What did you find?!" Paula gasped and hurried over to her friend. She pushed Sirella to the side and when she looked at the object lying inside the drawer, a big grin appeared on her face. "Oh yes! YES! JACKPOT!" she shouted. It was a photo. Old, ancient and pretty bleached. Yet you could still make out the two men sitting at a bar and smiling at the camera while enjoying a drink. Paula reached out with her hand and couldn't hide her excitement.

"Oh yes! This will make one hell of a pre-" The moment the tip of her finger touched the photo, it started to crack and fall apart. Paula's eyes widened in shock and she tried to save what couldn't be saved.

"No! NONONONONO!" she shouted and tried to keep the thin piece of photo-paper from falling apart, but to no avail. All she could do was to watch in dread how the photo with the two smiling men on it simply turned into dust. Literally.

"Paula?" Sirella mumbled after some time. "Are you okay?"

"I got careless. Stupid me." Paula whispered. "This would have been the perfect gift."

"Can't you, I don't know, put the pieces back together?" the young Protoss suggested. However, Paula just shook her head.

"It wouldn't be the same." she simply explained. And then Paula dropped her shoulders in defeat and looked around once more. That photo probably had been the only personal piece and right now she wasn't in the mood to tear the walls open. Besides, Matt Horner hadn't been the kind of person to keep loads of secrets. "Come on, let's go back before the Marshal figures out that we disobeyed him again."

"We?" Sirella protested? "If I remember correctly, then it was _you_ who keep disobeying him."

"Potatoes, tomatoes." Paula replied. "I need some fresh air." And then she turned around and slumped out of the room. However, she stopped in front of the door and placed her hand on the small switch right next to it. It was the light-switch.

"Well, at least this will be a nice gift for my uncle." the young woman mused and simply ripped the light-switch off the wall before putting it in her pocket. When she stepped out of the quarters, she looked at the nameplate right next to it and sighed. "And this might be of some use too." she declared and peeled Matt Horner's nameplate off the wall. And then...

"Let's go." Paula mumbled and with that, the two were on their way back topside. When they entered the staircase again, what remained behind was silence and darkness.

Minutes passed with nothing happening.

Until...

" _...zheeeeeee...?"_

A faint blue light suddenly appeared at the very end of the corridor that led to the crew quarters. But when it became brighter, there was no one around. The light moved through the corridor until it reached the quarters Paula and Sirella had just checked. It entered the room and seemed to search for something. It stopped right in front of the drawer and seemed to stay there for a long time until it descended and started to put the flocks of dust back together until the photo had been restored to its fragile old self. And then, as if pushed by a ghost's hand, the drawer was closed.

"Zheeeeeee!" The light produced a high-pitched sound. It was weird since you could almost imagine that it sounded...proud? As the glowing orb moved towards the door, it noticed something else, the open wardrobe. It checked it out and when it found the pieces of rotten clothes, the whole room started to glow when the light released more of its energy. And when it was done...

...there was a pristine uniform hanging inside the wardrobe.

"Zheeeeeee..." the light hummed and moved towards the exit when it suddenly stopped and seemed to turn its attention towards something else.

...it was the light-switch.

Or, to be more precise, the light-switch Paula had ripped out of the wall.

"ZHEEEEEEEEE!" the light screeched, and its cold, blue color turned red.


	6. Chapter 6

**Since I haven't done that yet, now's the time to thank bjlu0900 for all his dedication. Life without a beta-reader would be possible, but pointless. So thanks, my friend, for putting up with me.**

* * *

 **Chapter 6**

 **It's over when _I_ say it's over!**

* * *

As Paula and Sirella emerged from the wreckage of the Hyperion, they both looked up and inhaled the cold and clean air. Well, at least Paula did. Sirella, without having any mouth, just enjoyed the sunlight. Or would have enjoyed the sunlight.

"Man, it's already night? Phew, crazy how fast time flies if you're having fun." the young woman mused.

"Your definition of "fun" never ceases to amaze me, Paula." the Protoss muttered and stared up at the sky. "Darn it. It's already night? Uh, never thought I would miss Sternenheim's never-ending days."

"Huh, I wonder where everyone went." Paula mumbled and looked around. "We didn't see anyone down there. Did they already head back to the camp?"

"Can't you tell?" Sirella wondered.

"Sure, but where's the fun in that?"

"Ugh..."

The two had no problems finding their way back to the base camp. And when they got there...

"What the...?" Paula mused as she watched how the research team was busy packing things into crates. Some of them were sitting around a campfire, looking really exhausted. "What's going on here?" The whole sight looked weird. It was as if they were packing their stuff. Which couldn't be right, since they just got here!

"Looks as if they were packing." Sirella mused.

"Yeah, well, thank you for stating the obvious." Paula replied and walked over to the next student. "Hey! Mind telling me what's going on? Why are you packing?" The student, a young woman with blonde hair, looked up at Paula with tired eyes.

"Oh, hey. Haven't you heard? We are done here." she said with a defeated tone in her voice.

"Done here?" Paula stuttered. "What are you talking about?"

"Go ask the Professor. I just want to get off this darn dustball." the student sighed in defeat and turned around in order to finish her task.

"This is not how things were supposed to go!" Paula snarled and looked around. She couldn't see the Professor anywhere. And neither could she spot the Marshal. Which was probably for the best. Still, there had to be someone around who knew more than "I just want to get out of here!" And so Paula slumped through the base camp and asked everyone where to find either Professor Allagan...

...or Marshal Bowski.

"I think they went back to the city." one student mused.

"What? Why the hell would they do that?"

"Well, the Marshal wanted to head to the spaceport in order to find out when the next flight to Korhal would be. And I think Professor Allagan just wanted to personally thank the Magistrate for her help. We are supposed to pack our stuff and be ready for them to pick us up once they are back and-

"WHAT THE ACTUAL HELL?!" Paula interrupted the student. "There's a battlecruiser out there! An actual battlecruiser! Almost perfectly preserved! And you want to get lost?!"

"I'm not thrilled about it either." the student sighed. "But the Professor told us that the University only financed this research trip in order to find the Rebel Heart, not the Super Proton or whatever this thing is called."

"Hyperion." Paula replied. "The name of the vessel is "Hyperion". Though I have to admit; Super Proton is kinda funny."

"Well, whatever. The Professor wanted to contact the University and ask for permission to study the wreckage. But the Marshal talked to him for hours, convincing him that there was probably no point in doing that and that we should get back home." When Paula heard that, she gritted her teeth and clenched her hands into fists. Man, Bowski really wanted to get them off his planet!

"Is that so?" she growled. "Well, ain't that peachy? I thought that guy was just playing hard to get, but now I think he actually wants to get rid of us."

"I think he only wants to get rid of you, Paula." Sirella mused, which earned her a stern look from her friend. The young woman then shook her head and looked around.

"Unbelievable, Sirella." she muttered after a while. "This could be the biggest historical discovery of the last, well...ever! And they decide to ditch it because _"it ain't the Rebel Heart"_. Buhu. This is a goddamn joke!"

"You are just angry because you haven't found anything good down there yet." her friend replied. "If you had, then you would have dropped these people like a hot potato."

"While there might be some truth involved in that statement..." Paula muttered. "...it's not nice to say something like that."

"And you're frustrated because the Marshal saw right through you and doesn't put up with your antics." the Protoss continued.

"Thanks, Sirella, I get it."

"And the fact that no one asks you for your opinion annoys you as well."

"Yes! Thanks! I get it now. You don't have to analyze me! I got plenty of folk back home who do that. As far as I'm concerned, I'm the only real expert on this kind of stuff on this world anyway!" Paula complained.

"Perhaps if you would ask like an expert, people would take you more seriously." Sirella suggested and the young woman stared at her friend with a blank expression on her face.

"Roughly 3.8 percent of my genome are Zerg, Sirella." Paula explained. "And right now, I feel the urge to let 'em loose."

"Also, you should work on your frustration-tolerance." the young Protoss explained. The student standing right next to them had overheard every word and just shook his head.

"Can you two be weird somewhere else? We need to get these things packed and-" Good thing that no one here would believe that with the Zerg-genes...

"Oh, nononono!" Paula chuckled. But it was not a friendly sound. "YOU!" she said and pointed with her finger at the student. "...will stop packing. YOU!" she then pointed her finger at another nearby researcher. "...will tell the others to keep on their underpants, 'cause we are going to stay!" And then Paula looked at her friend. "And YOU! You and I, we will have a little word with the Professor and the Marshal."

"How?" another student, a young man with the face of a child, asked. "They took the truck back to the city."

"Tsk, trucks." Paula snickered. "I don't need no stinkin' truck. Come on, Sirella. It's time to act like a responsible researcher!"

"By forcing people to stay against their will?" the young Protoss asked.

"Aw, quit yer' whining! Everyone! Hold your horses! Oh, and don't go into the wreckage as long as we are gone. And should you hear some weird noises, just run for your lives."

* * *

Bowski wasn't really into alcohol. Some of his colleagues were heavy drinkers. They liked to claim that they did it because they had a reputation to uphold. But honestly? The Marshal didn't believe a word of that. Drug-abuse was one of the bigger problems on Flemmington. And since this world was far off from most trade-routes, they usually liked to use drugs they could produce themselves. And what is it you can produce pretty much everywhere?

Exactly, booze.

The local drink was called "Mudshot". It was made out of a potato-like plant and kinda tasted like sour cream that had been parked in the sun for three weeks straight. And it wasn't that strong either. So not only did it taste like crap, but you also needed a lot of shots in order to be truly wasted. It made the fact that people actually managed to get drunk from this stuff even more impressive. Or pathetic. One of those two, Bowski couldn't really decide.

"Another one." the Marshal said and gave the barkeeper a nod. The woman looked at him and seemed to think about wherever she should give him another drink, but when she noticed that he wasn't really the kind of customer who could cause some trouble. The barkeeper refilled his glass and Bowski waited a moment before he downed it in one go. Some people claimed that you had to enjoy it by taking your time. But honestly, how can you enjoy something that is called "Mudshot"?

Besides, Bowski had no intention of getting drunk today. He just wanted to vent some steam. With any luck, Professor Allagan would probably talk to the Magistrate right now. Bowski had decided to stay away from that meeting. He didn't want to give Magistrate Swann the impression that he had influenced the Professor to end this research-trip. A part of him still felt guilty, but hey, that's what alcohol is there for, right? The sooner the eggheads were gone, the better. Then things would be nice and quiet again. Oh, sure, someone would probably come out here again to search the derelict. But by then Bowski would have found a way to find something to do on the other side of the planet.

Perhaps he should spend one or two more hours in this bar, and then try to contact the Professor. Since the Marshal had the keys to the truck, Allagan had nowhere to go. So there was another reason why not to get drunk, he still had to drive back in order to pick up the team. By now they should have packed most of the stuff. All he had to do know was to-

"Whoa! That's one hell of a bar! Reminds me of Joey Ray's on Mar Sara!" a female voice suddenly spoke up from right behind him and Bowski's eyes widened in surprise.

"No way..." he whispered and looked over his shoulder, just to be certain. However, when he saw no one (except for the usual depressing group of guests), he sighed in relief and-

"Boy, what _is_ that?" Paula Kerrigan asked and Bowski's head jerked around, only to see how she had grabbed his drink and sniffed at it. Her expression escalated and she gagged.

"How...how the hell did you get here?!" the surprised Marshal barked.

"Through the door. Also, is this alcohol or biological waste?" the young woman asked.

"Both." the barkeeper declared with a smile on her face. "Want some?"

"Naaaa, I don't drink alcohol." Paula replied.

"Hehe..." the woman behind the bar chuckled. "...kinda weird to go into a bar then."

"Eh, I'm just here to ruin this guy's day. But hey, you got orange-juice?" Paula wanted to know.

"Sure. With Vodka, Whiskey, Mudshot, Schnaps-"

"Just orange-juice. Plain, boring, ice-cold orange-juice." Paula ordered. "But you can put some milk in it. I feel adventurous." The barkeeper laughed and looked at Bowski.

"Your girlfriend?"

"God no. The bane of my existence!" Bowski shot back and stared at Paula, who looked around as if she was a three-year-old inside a candy-shop.

"So, this is what a bar looks from the inside. Huh. A lot cleaner than I thought it would be." the young woman mused.

"I take that as a compliment." the barkeeper muttered and turned away.

"Didn't you just compare it to another bar?" Bowski asked and regretted it immediately, knowing that if you start talking to Paula Kerrigan, she just won't shut up.

"Meh, I've never been there personally." she explained. "It was the favorite bar of my father. He told me so many stories about it that I probably could navigate in it with my eyes closed, not bumping into anything."

"Sounds like your father had a good time in that bar." Bowski mused.

"Not really." Paula admitted. "It was more like exile for him."

"So, you're from Mar Sara?" the Marshal asked after a while.

"Nope."

"Your father is."

"Nope. He was born on Shiloh."

"That's...quite a stretch from Mar Sara." Bowski muttered.

"Yeah, well, funny how life works." Paula admitted. There was another awkward moment of silence until...

"I don't want to sound like an ass..." the Marshal started.

"Usually when people say that, they totally do want to sound like asses." the young woman mused.

"...but how the hell did you manage to get to Russou City without a truck? And how did you find me?"

"Female intuition." was Paula's only answer. "And you're not nearly as sneaky as you would like to believe."

"Now who's sounding like an ass?" the Marshal shot back.

"Perhaps." Paula admitted. "But you know, talking like an ass and acting like an ass are two different things. And you, Marshal, are a big ass."

"Huh..." the man muttered and shook his head. Honestly? He wasn't even caring anymore. "...don't take it personally. I just don't like people."

"Well, I am people. Therefore, excuse me if I do take it personally." Paula replied.

"Suit yourself." he growled and downed another shot before ordering a refill. After a while, Paula sighed and looked at all the bottles of beverages lined up behind the bar.

"You know, I get that you didn't exactly volunteer for this..." she explained. "...but ruining this outfit just because you don't want to help us is just, well..."

"Low? Despicable? Unprofessional?" Bowski offered.

"Assholish." Paula declared.

"That's not a word."

"It should be."

"Thanks for telling me your opinion about my character. Anything else?" the Marshal asked. He didn't really care that Paula was mad at him. If everything would go well, then they would soon be someone else's problem.

"Yeah. I won't let you get away with it." she told him.

"Is that supposed to be a threat?"

"You bet your ass it is." Paula said when the barkeeper suddenly put a big glass right in front of Paula and poured in some orange juice.

"I like this girl already." the other woman declared. "Here, have some orange juice. And..." Then the barkeeper grabbed a box of milk and put it into the drink as well. "...some ice-cold milk." Bowski's eyes widened in shock when he saw that, but he was even more shocked when Paula beamed like a little girl, grabbed the glass and was about to drink it.

"You do know what will happen to your digestion-track if you drink that, right?" he asked and she flashed him a crazy smile.

"My mother's quarter Zerg, I can eat and drink anything!" And with that Paula downed the glass filled with ice-cold orange-juice and milk in one go. Both the barkeeper and Bowski watched in disbelief (and a bit of disgust) how the young woman downed it like a true champ.

"Well, I should have taken money for this." the woman behind the bar muttered. "Also, the toilets are that way. Just so you know." However, it seemed as Paula wouldn't need them. When she was done, she placed the glass on the bar and sighed.

"Ahhhhh...whew. Puts the ink in the pen, I tell you that!" she groaned. When the Marshal heard that, he couldn't help but shudder.

"You are the weirdest woman I've ever met, Kerrigan."

"Heh, you have seen nothing yet!" she replied.

"Well, I guess I will die never knowing the true you then. I would like to say it was nice meeting you, but, well..." Bowski muttered.

"Whoa. And they dare to say that I'm bad at flirting." Paula chuckled. "Don't worry, Dan. I can call you Dan, right?"

"No."

"Glad that we talked about it, Dan." Paula said and ignored him completely. "The thing is...this whole gig is kinda important to me." She then leaned back and looked around. "I searched a long time for this wreckage. And when I found it, it took me even longer to figure out a good plan to get here."

"Somehow I have my doubts." Bowski mused. "You're not the type of person who seems to make any plans. At all."

"Believe what you want." she shot back. "It doesn't change the facts." That's when Bowski decided to humor her.

"And the facts are?"

"That we're not done yet." Paula declared.

"You're not the one to decide that, Kerrigan." Bowski growled.

"You bet your butt I am." the young woman snickered. "Three." And when the Marshal heard that, he frowned.

"Three what?" he asked.

"Two." Paula continued.

"What? Is this a joke?"

"One." the young woman continued. And then-

 _Brrr! Brrr! Brrr!_

"What the hell?" Bowski growled when he suddenly felt his communicator vibrating inside his pocket. He looked over at Paula, who had a smug grin on her face.

"Better pick it up, Dan. Might be someone important!" she teased him. Bowski didn't want to give Paula the satisfaction of checking his communicator. Unfortunately, it didn't stop, and so he pulled it out of his pocket. And when he looked at who was calling him, he actually knew that Paula had been right about one thing...

...this gig wasn't over yet.

* * *

"Marshal!" Magistrate Swann beamed when the grumpy man entered her office. "So good to see you! I have wonderful news for you!"

"You finally signed my discharge-papers?" Bowski muttered.

"What? No! Of course not! Why should I? You are my best marshal! The only one who found a historically important relic of an age gone by!" Swann declared, and suddenly all warning sirens went off inside Bowski's head.

"Say what?" he mumbled and looked at the two other people inside the Magistrate's office. It was the Professor and Sirella. Bowski had no idea what Sirella was thinking, since reading the features of a Protoss was a skill he hadn't mastered yet. As for the Professor...

"Mister Bowski, I have to apologize." the older man said while sporting an embarrassed smile on his face. "I really thought you just wanted to get rid of us as soon as possible. If had known that you just wanted to keep our hopes in check so we wouldn't be disappointed..." Oh, the Marshal so didn't like where this was going.

"Uh huh." Bowski muttered. "I don't know what you have heard, but I am-"

"Such a humble person that he would never admit it in front of others!" Paula cut him short when she walked into the Magistrate's office. Bowski looked over his shoulder, and if looks could kill, Paula would have turned into a heap of ash in an instant. Yet all she did was to give him a thumbs-up. It was pretty clear to him that this was some sort of pay-back. The young woman walked up to the Marshal and punched her elbow in his side. "Seriously, the Marshal is such an awesome guy! When he found out _who_ had served on that ship, he kept it a secret and just told me about it in order to confirm it. You know, since he knows how _capable_ and _trustworthy_ I am!" She then pulled a small piece of metal from her pocket and showed it to Bowski. "I mean, I didn't know that you knew history so well! Don't get me wrong, I don't want to make it sound as if I think you're _stupid_ or _conceited_ or an _arrogant ass_ that doesn't _care_ about _others_..." Okay, now she was getting carried away. "...but you really know how to act like an utter piece of garbage! Seriously, everyone thought you were just interested in getting rid of us!" While Bowski still had no real idea what this was all about, he realized that he wouldn't get out of this thing with his dignity still intact.

"I have to admit, I too had the feeling that you were mostly interested in getting rid of us." Allagan agreed. "And I apologize for that."

Great.

Simply marvelous.

"I don't care what she told you..." Bowski growled and pointed with his thumb at Paula. "...but-"

"Oh, I told them everything!" Paula interrupted him again and leaned closer to him. _"Everything!"_ Bowski frowned when suddenly her voice sounded strange, almost blurred. And had her eyes just glowed for the fraction for a second?

Gosh, he shouldn't have drunk those mudshots after all...

"Like that when he found out that Matt Horner served on board of the Hyperion, _THE_ Matt Horner!" Paula said and held the name-tag up so Bowski could read the name stamped in it, Horner? Who the hell was that?

"Who-" Bowski started again, but he didn't get far.

"...doesn't know of Matt Horner! Exactly!" Paula continued. "The Marshall realized the importance of this discovery immediately! But he didn't want to cause anyone to get their hopes up just yet, so he had to be certain and sent me deeper into the derelict in order to make sure that it was the right Matt Horner we are talking about!" That's when Bowski's eyelid started to twitch and he looked at Paula in barely contained rage.

"You went deeper into the derelict?" he growled and she offered him the goofiest smile of all times.

"Just as you told me to, _Dan_."

He would shoot her. He would wait until no one would watch, and then he would just shoot her.

"So you see, the Marshal is really sorry that he had to play a huge asshole..." Paula continued. "...but it was necessary. You see, if this thing had been a hoax or a different Matt Horner, then the research-team would have been exited for absolutely no reason at all. Isn't that truly thoughtful of him?" There was a long and awkward moment of silence. Paula grinned like an idiot at Bowski, who stared at her as if he was thinking about shooting her right here and now, not caring if someone would actually see it.

"Marshal, I have to admit..." Magistrate Swann then sighed. "...I so did not see that coming."

"Make that two of us." Bowski growled.

"I am impressed." his boss continued. "No, I am ecstatic! The other marshals have to hear about this. _This_ is exactly what I have in mind when I ask you people to work with civilians. Thoughtful, helpful, reasonable. And not like all that bullshit where I hear complaints because one of my marshals is acting like a piece of utter garbage because he or she just want to be left alone. You, Marshal, have earned yourself a commendation!"

"Oh God no..." Bowski groaned. Commendation? That meant that they had to make this thing public! Worse, he had to keep up the lie so the Magistrate wouldn't roast him alive! That's when Paula leaned over to him.

"Burns good, doesn't it?" she whispered into his ear.

"I hate you." he whispered back.

"Awww, you know what a girl wants to hear."

"I must admit, Marshal..." Magistrate Swann then continued. "...I never thought that you were into history. I mean, I get it that this Matt Horner is very important. But I have to ask...who is he?" That's when every person in the room looked at Bowski. That's when he realized that he would probably lose his commendation a lot sooner than initially thought. And his job with it.

"Well, he was...uhm..." the Marshal started until suddenly the Professor interjected.

"Please, allow me!" the older man said. "I don't want to sound rude, Marshal. But Koprulean History is my specialty. May I?"

"By all means." Bowski muttered. "Knock yourself out." And with that, the Professor harrumphed and started to speak like only a professor could.

"Matt Horner, probably better known as Matthew Horner. We are talking about one of the greatest, if not the greatest military leaders of the Great War." Allagan explained. "We have a lot of information on him. But what's still lacking is what he did prior to the outbreak of the Great War. Unfortunately, his records aren't complete. It's funny, a few years ago I met a nice couple on Earth. The man was interested in Horner and who he had served under before he had joined the first Emperor, Valerian Mengsk. Official records say it was a man named Edmund Duke, but something about that conversation back then caused me to check those records again." The Professor shrugged his shoulders. "After studying all the primary and secondary materials I could get my hands on, I came to the realization that there is a lot that doesn't make any sense. We know almost everything about Horner. But only after the end of the Great War. Before that? Almost nothing."

"And you believe that this ship can give you answers to that?" Magistrate Swann asked.

"I hope so." Allagan mused. "I must admit that I thought we had failed when it turned out that this vessel wasn't the Rebel Heart. I don't want to sound arrogant, but I know the name and registration number of every battlecruiser that served in the Dominion before it was transformed into the Empire. And there is no vessel with the name Hyperion. So if this is truly a ship that Matt Horner served on, then we might find something truly spectacular down there."

"Oh, you have no idea!" Paula muttered and looked at Bowski once more.

"I think we should all thank the Marshal for his splendid work once more." she then teased him.

"Miss Kerrigan is right." Professor Allagan said, walked up to the other man and offered his hand to him, and Bowski was left with little choice but to shake it. "Thank you, Marshal! You saved this expedition."

"Yes, thank you Marshal." Magistrate Swann agreed. "You know, I am so glad that at least one of my marshals knows how to behave like a human being! From now on you will be my favorite marshal."

"Splendid." Bowski snarled. "I am ecstatic."

"Well then!" the Professor declared. "Let's get back to the dig-site! Let's uncover history!"

* * *

"You know..." Paula cooed as they were on their way back. "...you can always try to murder everyone and hide our bodies. And then you can claim that it was an unfortunate accident." She was sitting on the front passenger seat, right next to Bowski, who was trying his best to just focus on the road ahead of them. It was pitch-black and the headlight of the truck only illuminated everything right in front of them. The Marshal looked back, only to see that both Allagan and Sirella were sleeping. Well, the Professor was sleeping. Wherever Protoss actually needed sleep or not was something that Bowski couldn't really tell. Let's just say that Sirella had closed her eyes a while ago.

"I still don't get how you managed to get to the city without a vehicle." Bowski mumbled after a while. "Did you call someone to pick you up? Are there any more unpleasant surprises I have to worry about?"

"Plenty." Paula replied. "But if I would tell you, you wouldn't believe me anyway."

"It's probably only fair to warn you, Kerrigan." the Marshal muttered. "I have fantasies of violence when I think about you."

"Eh, I guess that's an occupational hazard if one carries the name Kerrigan. Trust me, you're not the first one to say that. Though most other folk who felt like you do was usually thinking about my mother." Paula just mused.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothin'."

"You are a weird woman." Bowski growled.

"And you are an asshole." Paula sighed.

"And you suck at compliments."

"You want a compliment?" the young woman asked. "Okay, here it comes. You are an asshole. But it isn't your nature. You just act that way because it served you well. You don't hate people, you just want to be left alone because you think that silence and solitude makes you happy."

"What's so bad about silence and solitude? Sounds pretty darn fine to me." the Marshal growled.

"Oh, you will find out soon enough, don't worry. I intend to scrub you so hard that the real you while come out." There was a long and awkward moment of silence and only when Bowski turned his head towards her, Paula realized that her statement could be understood in a very different way. "I... uhm...I mean..." she stuttered.

"I think I'll pass." the Marshal just replied. "You're not my type anyway."

"Ouch. Nuclear strike detected." Paula replied. "Relax, Marshal. This will be an adventure! Everyone loves adventures!"

"...I don't like adventures..." Sirella suddenly whined from behind, her eyes still firmly closed.

"Ignore my giant Protoss-friend, she's just sleeping and babbling nonsense while dreaming." Paula explained.

"...I'm not sleeping and I'm not babbling nonsense..."

Well, so much for that.

As they drove through the night, Paula looked out of the window and tried to make out some details. But all she could see was endless darkness beyond the headlights of the truck. And after a while...

"You know, my father used to be a marshal." Paula said.

"Please don't tell me that I remind you of him." Bowski begged.

"Naaa, you're completely different."

"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?"

"So-so I would say." the young woman mused.

"Where?" the Marshal asked after a while and Paula looked over to him and frowned.

"Huh?"

"Where was he marshal?" Bowski asked again.

"Oh! Mar Sara." Paula replied.

"Pffffff...yeah, right." the Marshal chuckled. "Mar Sara. That place is so rich, they don't need marshals."

"It was a long time ago." she replied. "A _very_ long time ago."

"Uh huh..." And that was all Paula got as an answer. It was pretty obvious that Bowski wasn't in the mood to talk about anything. So she decided to give him some rest. Besides, the Marshal had to concentrate on the road ahead of them. Driving a truck through darkness was one thing. But soon they reached the end of the tarmac and had to use an old dirt road. And soon after that, they didn't even have that. Yet Bowski seemed to know where he had to go. His navigational skills were pretty good and Paula didn't have to correct him even once. From time to time the people in the back complained when they hit a rock or managed to find an especially deep bump, but that's just the way it is if you're driving through the wilderness.

"I wish this would be a hover-truck!" Sirella whined.

"Yes!" Professor Allagan, who had woken up thanks to all that shaking, agreed. "My stomach wishes that as well!"

"Quit your whining, you two!" Bowski barked. "We are almost there. It's not even daybreak. You can lay down and sleep for two hours before sunrise."

"Two hours?!" both Sirella and Allagan whined.

"Yeah, well..." Bowski growled, making sure that no one could hear him. "...just because I'm stuck with you, doesn't mean that I have to make it easy for you either." When the truck finally arrived at the base camp, they realized that they weren't the only ones still awake.

"Professor!" someone shouted when they climbed out of the truck and stretched their limbs. Especially Sirella, who looked as if she was in serious pain after sitting on a seat made for humans for several hours. "You are back! Thank goodness!"

"It's okay, everyone!" Allagan declared. "Good news! We won't leave. The Marshal over here actually saved this entire trip." Most students looked over at Bowski, who gritted his teeth in frustration.

"Awesome, isn't it?" he growled, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "I'm the hero of the day."

"So how about we all get some sleep and then we will-" the Professor continued until he was interrupted by one of his students.

"Professor! Janice is missing!" the young man said so loud that he was almost screaming. Suddenly everyone fell silent and only then the newcomers took their time to look at the students and researchers faces. And what they saw was real fear and anxiety.

"What?" Allagan gasped. "What do you mean?"

"Janice!" someone else said. "She was the last one on the bridge. Wanted to check on something. We waited for her but when she didn't show up, we went down there and found, well, nothing."

"Nothing?" Bowski asked. "Did you search the bridge? Maybe she got lost in one of the corridors."

"Maybe she got eaten by a space-monster!" Paula suggested.

"Not helpful, Kerrigan." the Marshal growled.

"We got back to the bridge, checked every corridor we could, but then..." another student declared until she fell silent. Bowski looked her straight into the eyes and frowned.

"Then what?"

"Some of us heard things." the first student muttered.

"Things? Like what?" the Marshal wanted to know.

"We don't know." a researcher said. "But it almost sounded like...whispers." There was a short moment of silence and then...

"Great." Bowski growled. "Could be tomb raiders. How the hell did they get out here so fast? Dammit." He turned away and stomped into the direction where the wreckage of the Hyperion was buried. "Everyone! Stay here!" he barked. "Professor, keep your people together. I will check it out."

"But...shouldn't you call for back-up?" Allagan whined.

"These are tomb raiders." the Marshal explained. "Not murderers. They are just here to make some profit. It's not the first time I dealt with people like that. Just stay here and wait." Everyone decided to do as they were told. Everyone...

...except for one certain individual.

"Uh! Tomb raiders! That totally sounds like the title of a movie. Or a game!" Paula mused as she followed the Marshal.

"Kerrigan, stay here!" he hissed at her, yet the young woman simply didn't seem to care.

"Come on, Dan, you need someone to watch your back!" she told him.

"I don't. And don't call me Dan."

"No can do, Dan." Paula replied. "Come on, let's save Janice from a space-monster! Also..." Suddenly she stopped and turned around. "Hey, Professor! Which one is Janice again? The blonde or the ginger?"

"The one without any hair!" Allagan shouted back.

"Huh...I thought that was a man." Paula mumbled, shrugged her shoulders and then decided to follow Bowski, who was less than thrilled. "Hey, Sirella! Are you coming?"

"No thanks! I had my fill of adventures for...years." was her friend's answer.

"Suit yourself!" Paula yelled. When she and Bowski were finally out of everyone's sight, the Marshal stopped and looked her straight into the eyes.

"Go back!" he ordered.

"Nope!" she shot back.

"I mean it. This could be dangerous. Tomb raiders aren't a threat unless you do something stupid. Janice probably walked into them when they thought that everyone was gone. I will talk to them."

"Sounds as if you have some experience with stuff like that." Paula cooed and suddenly her eyes widened in surprise. "Le Gasp!" she said. "You are working with them! And you told them about this place and you get a piece of the cake when they sell the artifacts! Oh, I saw that movie! It was awesome!"

"You should stop watch movies, Kerrigan."

"Call me Paula, Dan."

"No, I won't."

"Oh yes, you will. Eventually."

"For crying out loud, woman, go back!" Bowski hissed. "This could be-" But then he was cut short by Paula.

"You don't think that there are any tomb raiders, right?" she quipped. "Instead, you just told that story to scare the Professor and the others. You probably think that Janice just got lost or accidentally locked herself up in a room." There was an awkward moment of silence. And then...

"Are you psionically gifted?" Bowski growled when he looked her straight into the eyes. And that's when that goofy smile returned on Paula's face.

"Maybe." she giggled.

"Ugh..." the Marshal growled and turned away. As he stomped towards the excavation site, he shook his head and gritted his teeth. "Should have known it. Explains why you're so damn annoying."

"Naaa, the annoying-thing isn't because I have psionics." Paula explained. "The "always-right-part" is because I have psionics. Being annoying just runs in the family. Also, you want to have me along for this!"

"Oh really? And why's that?"

"Because, Dan, I can sense Janice. So, you can either use me like a tracker, or you can search the entire ship yourself. How does that sound?" Paula mused.

"A human can survive at least one day without water in these surroundings." Bowski replied. "I think that gives me plenty of time to find her on my own."

"Ha! You are such a bag of fun, Dan!"

"Stop calling me Dan!"

"Nope!"

That's when Dan Bowski realized that this woman would probably drive him insane sooner or later. Though, given the fact how fast this situation was evolving...

...probably a lot sooner than later.


	7. Chapter 7

**Once more a big thank you to bjlu0900 for beta-reading this thing. Many thanks!**

* * *

 **Chapter 7**

 **Shit happens**

* * *

''Come out, Janice! JaniceJaniceJanice! Good Janice! Good girl'' When Bowski heard those words behind him, he stopped and turned around.

"We are looking for a woman, not a dog." he growled.

"What's a... doug?" Paula Kerrigan asked, which caused the Marshal to frown.

"A dog? Seriously? It's a... ah, okay, I get it. Making fun of me again." he sighed and turned away.

"No, seriously. What's that? Some kind of...animal?"

"Forget it, Kerrigan." Bowski sighed. "It stopped being funny ages ago. No, wait. It had never been funny to begin with."

"I mean it! What's a doug?"

"Dog, Kerrigan. It's called "dog". And you know damn well what a dog is." Bowski mumbled.

"Is it like a kriecher? Kriechers are awesome! I have a pet-kriecher. Her name is Moby!" Paula said as if she was only three years old. When Bowski heard that, he shook his head and decided not to continue this conversation. Of course he knew what a kriecher was. Damn pests, that's what they were! Calling a kriecher your pet was like saying that you could speak to Zerg.

Wait...

No, nevermind.

Bowski and Kerrigan had entered the wreckage of the Hyperion and had checked out the bridge first. When they hadn't found anyone there, they had decided to check all the corridors leading from the bridge to the entrance point. On the way there, they had also checked every room they came across. A tedious task, sure. Unfortunately, they had to make sure that they hadn't missed anything.

Like a lost student, hiding inside the wreckage of an enormous battlecruiser.

The longer Bowski thought about this whole situation, the more he came to the realization that this could be the plot of a cheap horror movie. This setting had everything a cheap horror-movie needed. A scary location, a group of young people-

"A hot girl that will survive until the end and save everyone." Paula suddenly mused and Bowski stopped immediately. He turned around and looked the young woman straight into the eyes.

"I do not appreciate it if you look into my head."

"You were much funnier when you thought that I was just weird." Paula replied.

"You _are_ weird." Bowski shot back. "Stay out of my head."

"Suit yourself." she mumbled and raised her hands in defense. "It's not that there's much going on up there anyway." Great, and now she was dissing him. Could this get any worse?

"Oh, there are plenty of things that could happen and-" Kerrigan started.

"Zip it, Kerrigan!" Bowski snarled at her.

"I will, if you call me by my first name... _Dan_." she teased him in the most obnoxious way possible.

"I'd rather drop dead."

"You know, you are aware that the cop usually dies first in those horror movies, right?" Paula mused.

Fun-fact: Bowski hated horror movies.

They continued to walk through the empty corridors and for a while Paula stayed quiet, something the Marshal was truly grateful for. Alas, such a moment wasn't bound to last for very long. And so...

"Just so you know, I never looked into your brain." Paula mused after a while. There was an awkward moment of silence and then... "On purpose."

"So much better." Bowski growled.

"I take it you don't like people with psionics?" she asked.

"I don't like it if people ignore my privacy."

"What makes you think that your privacy is so wonderfully fantastic that people feel obliged to check it out?" Paula replied, which caused Bowski to stop yet again and look at her in bewilderment.

"What are you talking about?" he demanded to know and Paula shrugged her shoulders as she walked past him.

"All I'm saying is that people always act as if their own thoughts were the most precious thing in the universe. Let me tell you, your thoughts aren't any more special than that of every other creature in this galaxy." she explained while taking the lead.

"That's not the point." Bowski shot back.

"It isn't? Then what is it?" Paula wanted to know while looking over her shoulder.

"It's about valuing someone else's privacy!"

"Why?" she asked. The tone in her voice was completely oblivious. It was as if she was truly not getting why he was so angry.

"You're making fun of me, right?" Bowski snarled. "One's privacy is not negotiable. That includes one's thoughts."

"Then why do you shove your thoughts into everyone's face if they're so darn important to you?" Paula asked.

"That's not how this thing is working. You are the mind-reader, not me and-"

"It's that simple, yes?" the young woman stopped and turned around. She faced Bowski and stared him straight into the eyes. Suddenly she seemed to be a lot less goofy and a lot more serious. The Marshal hadn't seen this side of her before, and he was actually impressed. "It's always the fault of someone with psionics, right? We have to make sure not to read anyone's thoughts, even though you don't even try to keep your own in check? Why? It's not like we have a choice in that matter, do we? I was born this way. No one ever asked me: "Hey, Paula, you want to be like this?" No. I don't complain. I am who I am. I never asked to be able to read someone else's minds, yet I don't really feel unfortunate either. But putting all the blame on me just because you think I'm a threat to your privacy? Seriously?" Bowski wanted to reply something, but Paula didn't even give him a chance to say anything.

"What are your thoughts telling me that your actions don't?" she continued. "Ever since we met, you tried to ditch us. I don't even have to look into your head in order to realize that you want us to be gone. If anything, then looking into your mind would actually tell me _why_ you are acting like an asshole. And honestly, wouldn't that make things easier? That way I could see that you are not just a jerk, but someone who doesn't like people because they don't make sense to him." When the Marshal heard that, his expression turned sour.

"So, now you have figured me all out, huh?" he growled.

"Newsflash, Dan." Paula told him. "People aren't that complicated. None of us are. We have simple dreams and hopes, including me. The only complicate thing is that we like to believe that we all are oh-so-special and unique. Your distaste for social interaction isn't more important than that of any other random misogynist-"

"I'm not a misogynist." Bowski defended himself, yet Paula didn't even pay attention to that.

"...and my quirky way of acting doesn't mean that I'm oh-so-unique and special. There are plenty of people out there that are like me. What makes us unique and specials isn't the fact that we believe it." she told him and the Marshal crossed his arms in front of his chest.

"Oh? So, what makes us special then?"

"The fact that we are." Paula replied. "Seriously, why do people always need to come up with explanations? How about this: Paula Kerrigan is an awesome human being because she says so! Everyone who disagrees might say so, it will be firmly ignored."

"That approach to life seems to be a tad bit simple." the Marshal mused.

"So?" she shot back. "What's the problem with looking at things like a simpleton? Everyone's is just acting as if they were the center of the universe, and whatever they are doing is oh-so-important." She then pointed with her finger upwards. "Take the Professor, for example. When he realized that this wasn't the Rebel Heart, he was ready to give up and leave. He didn't even think for a second to dig deeper! Everyone has these weird expectations, and they all focus on just that. And if these expectations fall short, then everyone just acts as if it is the end of the world. They don't even think about looking at the stuff that's right in front of them!" And then Paula sighed and dropped her shoulders.

"Like those two..." she whispered with an annoyed and hurt tone in her voice.

"Is this rant serving any purpose?" Bowski asked after a while. He noticed how Paula clenched her hands into fists and gritted her teeth. Clearly, she was agitated.

"It means that I don't like it if people act like assholes for no reason."

"Like me?"

"Like you." she confirmed. "You know, there are people here that need your help. You have nothing better to do, admit it. The Professor and his team really could use your support. I wouldn't be bothered by it if you had a darn good reason for not wanting to help them. Like, I don't know, a pregnant girlfriend or someone who's sick and you're worried about them. But no. Your only reason for trying to sabotage this is because you want to be left alone. And that's ticking me off."

"Some humans just want to be left alone. I prefer my privacy." Bowski shot back.

"Humans are social beings." Paula replied. "Maybe there are times when we want to be alone. But if we stop helping people if they need help, then we stop being humans."

"My..." the Marshal chuckled. "...seems like little Miss Sunshine over here is quite the humanitarian."

"You're damn right I am. And if you don't accept that, then I'm gonna force my humanitarianism down your throat! Wait, that came out wrong..." Paula looked around and seemed as if she wanted to say something, but then she just frowned. "How did we end up with this conversation again?"

"I think you tried to lecture me on-" Bowski started when suddenly...

 _Clank!_

Both of them turned around and looked down the corridor.

"You heard that?" Paula asked.

"Yes. You stay here, I check it out." Bowski said.

"Fat chance. Follow me!" the young woman declared and moved forward. The Marshal shook his head, but otherwise he decided to not say anything anymore. This conversation had told him more about Paula Kerrigan than he had wanted to know, but now he had a clearer picture of that person who had decided to become his personal bane of existence.

Oh, he still wanted to get rid of her, most definitely. And all the stuff she had just told him? To Bowski, it was nothing but childish gibberish. Thankfully they left this conversation behind the moment they decided to follow that strange sound.

"There, down the staircase." Paula said and before Bowski could even say something, the young woman slipped through yet another reinforced door and vanished in the darkness.

"Kerrigan!" he hissed but followed her immediately. "Stop running off on your own!"

"I'm not alone, I got you breathing down my neck!" her voice chirped from the other side of the dark door, and suddenly the Marshal felt the urge to strangle that woman. Again. And so Bowski sighed and decided to simply follow Paula, even if every part of his body was telling him that he shouldn't.

* * *

"Let's go back." Bowski muttered when they stepped through the door that was leading to deck 5. After making their way downwards, both the Marshal and Paula had checked every possible location for Janice. The doors to deck 2 to 4 had been sealed shut, and there was no way that a mere history-student would have been able to force those doors open. Deck 5 had been the deck where Paula and Sirella had found the quarters of a certain man called Matt Horner, so they had checked the entire deck once more, but to no avail.

No Janice anywhere.

"I have a slight feeling that this whole search will be one fruitless exercise." Bowski growled. By now he had taken the lead and was stomping down the staircase like a, well...

...like someone who was pretty mad.

"At least we don't have to check every deck." Paula mused. "I have the slight feeling that we are getting closer, Dan."

"Stop calling me Dan."

"Start calling me Paula, and I might consider it."

"No, you won't."

"No, I won't." Paula confirmed with a big, fat grin on her face. As they reached the next level, Bowski checked the door, only to see that it was firmly shut.

"No way she got past this door." he mumbled and turned away. "Just how many decks does this ship have?"

"27 primary decks. But there are fourteen more secondary decks and sub-levels. Also, not all decks are the same size. Below deck 9 they become much larger since they span through the entire ship and include the engine room. Deck 13 also houses the main hangars both port and starboard side. We should hope that Janice didn't make it to deck 15, though."

"Why's that?"

"Because that's where the storage rooms are. Trust me, searching for a person in one of those is _not_ fun." Paula explained. That's when Bowski stopped and looked her into the eyes once more.

"For someone who pretends to not know what a dog is, you sure know your way around with ancient battlecruisers." he mumbled.

"Eh, everyone needs a hobby." Paula replied and shrugged her shoulders.

"Some hobby that is." And then the Marshal started to move again. Even now the massive size of this vessel was almost impossible to comprehend, at least for him. People like to say that things were better in the past. Bowski wasn't so sure about that, but they certainly were bigger! And when they reached the next level...

"What the hell?" Bowski mumbled and pointed his flashlight at the door. Or what once had been a door. "That's not ominous at all." The door leading towards deck 8 had been sealed off. Someone had used a welder in order to make sure that this door couldn't be used without brute force. And even then, it would require some powerful tools. "You know, if this were a movie, then this would probably be the place where they did illegal experiments." Bowski placed his hand on the door and...

* * *

The door sprung open and Jim and Matt entered the deck.

"Did he tell you what was so important to wake me in the middle of the damn night?" Jim growled. He was only wearing shorts, slippers and a shirt. What good was it to have your very own battlecruiser if you couldn't run around in your pajamas?

"No, he didn't. But I do hope it's something truly fascinating." Matt sighed. And then he added: "For his sake." While Matt wore his uniform, he looked tired.

"You look tired, man." Jim mentioned the obvious and Matt threw him a glance.

"Yes, well, that happens if you work thirty plus hours coming up with a somewhat decent plan on how to storm the most fortified prison in the entire sector." Ah, yes. New Folsom. Jim knew that Matt had mixed feelings about this mission. On the one hand, he really wanted to crack that egg and free those who had been put away by old man Mengsk because they had dared to speak up against his tyrannical rule. On the other hand, Matt wasn't really looking forward storming that particular castle.

"I'm worried, Jim." Matt mumbled.

"You are...*aaaaaaah*..." Jim yawned and wiped some drool off his chin. "You are always worried. What is it now?"

"It's...Tosh and his people." his second-in-command said. "I'm not sure if we should include him in this mission. And, to be honest, I'm not certain that we should get involved in this."

"Matt, if I wouldn't be practically be sleepwalking right now, then I would yell at you for saying something like that." Jim muttered. "Seriously, first you can't stop yapping about busting New Folsom open, and _now_ you have second thoughts? You've been talking about this for years now!"

"I know." his friend sighed.

"Also, it's not like we have much of a choice." Jim continued. "You said it yourself. Without Tosh's help, taking New Folsom will be pretty pointless."

"I know..."

"And if I remember correctly, then you were pretty happy with the fact that I didn't accept Nova's offer."

"I know..." By now Matt's voice was more a whining. "...it's just...the longer I think about this, the more I have doubts about Tosh. About who he is. About what he wants to do."

"The same as we do; get rid of Mengsk and free the people." Jim explained.

" _His_ people." Matt corrected him. "That doesn't necessarily mean that we will fight on the same side."

"The enemy of my enemy is my friend." Jim mused, which caused Matt to groan.

"I always hated that saying. How many times have we been double-crossed so far? I stopped counting after the sixteen time." Matt gripped. "I think that from now on we should say: "The enemy of my enemy is just another jerk I have to be worried about". It's closer to the truth anyway."

"Man, who pissed in your coffee?" Jim wanted to know.

"Want a list?"

"Not really..." the older man sighed. "...let's just see what Stetmann is so excited about that he can't even allow his commander to get some sleep."

"And his XO not even to take a hot shower after a long day of hard work." Matt agreed. The two men approached a room that wasn't Egon Stetmann's lab or his bunk. As they entered it, they spotted Stetmann immediately. And not only him.

"-that I will blow your sorry ass out of the next airlock!" Chief Engineer Rory Swann barked while throwing a big wrench at Stetmann, who ducked just in time in order to avoid the heavy object.

"B-but Rory! I thought that you were okay with thi-this! I even a-asked for your opinion on it! A-and you said i-it would be okay!" There was a lot of panic in the skinny scientist's voice. For good reason.

"What the actual hell?" Jim muttered when he looked around.

"I said that it _might_ work. _Might_! Not "Go ahead and turn my ship inside out!" I'm gonna squeeze the life out of you, boy!" the short engineer howled.

" _His_ ship?" Matt muttered in disbelief. "And I didn't shower for this?"

"You sure love your hot shower, don't'cha?" Jim teased him. "Say, I never asked that, but do you shower with your uniform still on?" While he was asking that, he and Matt stared at Swann that was chasing Stetmann through the room while screaming profanities.

"No." Matt replied. "I have a uniform just for that."

"Thought so." Jim muttered before he straightened himself and decided to end this madness. "Okay, enough fun and games, you two. What's going on here?" However, neither Swann nor Stetmann were listening to him.

"Get over here, you little weasel! You are nothing but bad luck!" the short engineer shouted.

"Eeeeeeep! I'm sorry! Please, not the face! NOT THE FACE!"

"Boys..." Jim moaned. He was tired. So damn tired. All he wanted was to go back to sleep.

"Come here, you little piece of-" Swann screamed in rage.

"I always respected you! You were like a father-figure to me!" Stetmann squealed in a poor attempt to pacify the angry engineer. "An abuse father-figure with a serious alcohol-problem!" Well, he probably had to work on his compliments...

"Okay, enough fun and games..." Jim moaned. Unfortunately, being the Commander of the Raiders usually didn't mean that he could call upon their sense of professionalism. Because let's face it; the Raiders were anything _except_ professionals. Unless you considered the skill to stomach large amounts of booze a sign of professionalism. In that case, they were all professionals.

Except for Stetmann. That guy could get drunk from a glass of milk.

However, there was at least one member among the Raiders who knew how to behave like a professional.

"That is ENOUGH!" Matt barked and suddenly both Swann and Stetmann froze.

Well, Swann froze. Stetmann continued to wiggle like an eel while the older and shorter chief engineer was trying to squeeze the life out of him.

"Swann, let go of Stetmann!" Matt orderd.

"But-"

"NO BUTS!" the XO of the Raiders screamed in barely contained rage. "If you don't want to spend the next three weeks in the brig, then let go of him!" Swann didn't release Stetmann immediately. It almost seemed as if he thought wherever three weeks in the brig were worth hurting the skinny scientist.

"Swann, let him go." Jim yawned again. "I'm too tired for this shit."

"Hmpf..." the short engineer grunted and did as he was told. He made a step backward, but first he smacked the younger man with his prosthetic arm on the head. "This fool will be the death of us one day!"

"Noted." Jim mumbled. "Now, what exactly is going on here? And please, don't make me repeat myself. In easy words."

"Co-Commander, I only wanted to show you what I have-" Stetmann whined and got back on his feet.

"Easy words!" Jim told him, and the skinny scientist blinked in surprise.

"But...I haven't said anything yet."

"I know." Jim replied with a grin on his face. "This is preventive. So, Stetmann, why did you decide to tear my ship apart?"

"Uhm...you see..." the scientist muttered and looked around. The room they stood in was chaos incarnated. There were pipes and cables everywhere. It looked like the workshop of a madman. Then again, this was Egon Stetmann they were talking about. So yeah...

"That fool wanted to reroute the water-purification through the reactor cooling!" Swann barked. "I could stop him just in time!" When Matt heard that, he pulled his brows up and looked at Stetmann.

"Is that true?" he wanted to know.

"Well, yes, but that isn't the whole story. You see-" Stetmann tried to defend himself.

"I don't want to hear it." Matt cut him short. "No one hooks the water-purification-system to the reactor cooling. Never."

"Glad that we talked about it." Jim yawned. "Can I go to sleep now?"

"B-but Sir! The system is ready to be tested. I wanted you to show it to you!" Stetmann whined, which caused Jim to frown.

"But...didn't we just hear that Swann stopped you before you could turn our reactor into a toilet?" the Commander mumbled.

"That was only an attempt to boost the efficiency of the modification!" the young scientist defended himself. "I still managed to implement the other changes."

"Other changes?" Jim asked and looked over at Matt, who just shrugged his shoulders. "What other changes?"

"But Commandeeeeeeeeer!" Stetmann whined. "I wrote you a 300 pages long explanation of what I wanted to do! I even marked the things I wanted to modify on a three-dimensional map that I included in the file!"

"Wrong approach, Stetmann." Matt snickered. "You should have drawn a picture. With crayons." That comment earned him an annoyed glance from Jim, but apparently this tiny piece of insubordination had been worth it.

"Ugh...all I heard was water-purification and reactor cooling." Jim moaned. "Just what is this all about?" And when Stetmann was about to tell him, the Commander had one more thing to say. "In five sentences or less." There was an awkward moment of silence when Stetmann wanted to say something but then fell silent in order to count the words he would need to explain his idea to the Commander. However, as the minutes passed, it was Swann who grew impatient first.

"This enormous blockhead wanted to hock up the water-purification to the waste to the sewage system." the short and blocky engineer growled.

"Wait, there are two different systems?" Jim sighed. "And what's the problem?"

"What the problem is? WHAT THE PROBLEM?!" Swann screamed in rage. "You want to drink the same water you used to flush your turds down?!" When Jim and Matt heard that, they both shuddered at the same time.

"Thanks for planting this very graphic image in my head, Swann." the Commander mumbled. "So, I get your point." And then he turned towards Stetmann. "And why exactly would you want to mix drinking water with toilet water, Stetmann? Remember, the last guy who tried that ended up with his head down the toilet."

"Hehehe..." Matt snickered. "Gosh, I still have the letter you wrote to his mother. Pure gold." But Jim simply decided to ignore his second-in-command.

"Sir, I swear that I had the best intentions!" the skinny scientist whined. "All I wanted to do was to help!"

"By making faucets produce feces?" Jim mused.

"No, by lowering the energy consumption of the life-support-systems by more than 15 percent!"

"Say what?" Matt asked and blinked in surprise when he heard that.

"Don't listen to that fool!" Swann interjected. "He's just trying to honey mouth you guys. There's no way that you can lower the energy consumption that much. Trust me, I know this baby better than anyone else, and I tell you that-"

"You told me my numbers were correct!" Stetmann protested. "You even told me that it could be done!"

"Could be. As in "Maybe." I didn't give you permission to do it! And I'm still the Chief Engineer on this boat! My ship, my rules!"

"Seems like everyone owns this ship 'cept me." Jim mumbled and then he rubbed his temples. "Listen, fellas, that's all cute. But I don't like the idea that I brush my teeth with sewage. So no, Stetmann, you cannot do that and-"

"Uhm..." the scientist interrupted him. "...I already did."

"Why do you think I'm so angry, Boss?" Swann gripped. "This little squirt decided to just wreak havoc and see if he could do it himself!" Jim wanted to tell both of them to just shut up and leave him alone. He was tired, so damn tired.

"Okay, I'm gonna tell you guys something-" he started, but then he was cut short by his second-in-command.

"How much exactly?" Matt asked with a serious tone in his voice and Jim looked over at his friend.

"Huh?" he muttered, but the younger man ignored his commander.

"How much energy can you save? I want a number, Stetmann. A real number." the XO demanded to know. This time Stetmann had no problem with answering that question in an instant.

"If we shut down the unused parts of the sewage system, then we can save up to 23 percent of the energy we use for life-support." the scientist explained.

"How much is that of the overall energy consumption?" Matt asked.

"During full-load?"

"Yes."

"Huh...probably 7,5 percent." Stetmann mused. "But that only counts if we-"

"Could we reroute the power to other systems?" Matt wanted to know. "Like weapons?" When Stetmann heard that, his eyes widened in surprise. It was as if he hadn't thought about that possibility at all.

"Well...yes. Yes! Yes, I think so!"

"Are you two insane?!" Swann roared. "The power grid couldn't handle such a load! We would have to reinforce the grid in order to avoid a brown-out!" However, Matt simply decided to ignore Swann's ranting.

"That much energy could come in handy." Matt mused. "Think about it, Jim. We could improve the efficiency of your battle-systems drastically."

"Wha*...yawn*...whatever, man. I just want to sleep." the Commander declared. "Can you solve this problem without me?"

"This boy is talking madness, Horner. Madness, I tell you!" Swann told the XO. By now the three men were completely ignoring Jim. It was as if he wasn't even present. "The strain we would put on the power grid is just too much for the girl to handle. Besides-"

"Well, I guess you and your people will have to upgrade the power grid then." Matt replied. "We need every advantage we can get and-"

"Upgrade? UPGRADE?!" the Chief Engineer yelled. "You have no effin' clue what you're talking about, pretty boy!"

"Did he just call you "pretty boy", Matt?" Jim mused while scratching his belly, but no one really listened to him. Why should they, he was only the guy leading this sad bunch of misfits.

"You always claim that you're the best damn engineer out there and that we should be thankful for having you around." Matt explained. "Well, then how about you do something for your money?"

"You don't pay me shit!"

"And I know why!"

"Boys..." Jim groaned. "...please, can I go to sleep now. Also, can we stop yelling? Please?"

"Stetmann!" Matt barked and looked at the skinny scientist, who screamed in surprise when he suddenly heard his name.

"Y-Yes?!"

"The system is ready for a test run?" the XO wanted to know.

"Yes. Yes! I just installed the filters. Everything should be a-ok!" the young man declared.

"Good. Then let's see if this thing works and-" Matt started.

"You can't be serious!" Swann protested, yet Jim's second-in-command decided to ignore that.

"...if it does, then we will talk about upgrading that power grid. I'm not gonna waste such an opportunity and..." Matt explained, yet Jim wasn't really listening anymore. Instead, he leaned against a big crate and closed his eyes. If he wasn't allowed to sleep, then he could at least take a short nap.

"...won't guarantee..." Jim could hear Swann's ranting.

"...on't have to, I checked all the numbers twice..." Stetmann said. As Jim was dozing off, he started to snore while leaning against that crate.

"...my decision stands..." Was that Matt? Heh, good ol' reliable Matt. Always there for Jim.

"Make it so!" his second-in-command ordered. "I'm going to take a shower now. And Stetmann, tell me how it worked afterward. That's an order!" Jim could swear that he heard someone leaving the room, but the Commander was already too far gone by then. Drool was dripping from his chin and there was a stupid grin on his face.

"...you can...call me a pig...any day, Darlin'..." he mumbled. So close. He was so close to seeing her again. At least in his sleep. The sounds inside the room became a blur and Jim's mind started to slip away. Even then he still managed to stay on his feet, albeit leaned against that huge crate. It didn't matter, though. Because inside his mind he was starting to see things...

...things that he missed so much.

Her red hair, the way he remembered it. Those green eyes. And that faint smile whenever she looked at him and...

"Sa...rah..." A single name escaped Jim's lips, and for a second it actually felt as if she was right next to him. He could even feel the warmth of her body and-

 _ **BANG!**_

"WHAT THE HELL?!" Jim yelled when he was suddenly brought back into the here and now. He looked around and noticed that he was still in the room where he, Matt, Swann and Stetmann had discussed something involving poop.

"Stetmann! What is this?" Swann yelled, and only then Jim realized that this was, in fact, no dream.

"T-that's...that's not supposed to happen!" the skinny scientist whined. "The pressure is already too high! We need to reverse the flow!" Jim shook his head a few times in order to regain some momentum. And when he did...

"The pressure is going critical! Do something!" the Chief Engineer yelled and Stetmann ran over to a terminal in order to, well, do something.

"Too late. We can't vent it into space anymore. We need to reverse the flow now!" the young man screamed.

"No! If you do that, then our freshwater-supply will be-" That's when he was cut short by Stetmann.

"Fear not, Rory Swann, for I have installed a filter to make sure that wouldn't happen!" the scientist declared and entered a new command. The machines inside the room were producing an infernal noise and Jim looked around in terror.

"Guys! If you just wrecked my ship, I'm gonna blow you out of the next airlock!"

"Whoa!" Swann shouted as a pipe right next to him exploded and steaming hot water came out of it. "Stetmann, I'm gonna kill you!"

"Eeeeep!" the scientist screamed like a little girl. "This isn't supposed to happen. THIS ISN'T SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN AT ALL!" The floor beneath them started to shake and more and more pipes burst while steaming hot water filled the room.

"Stetmann, Swann, I don't care what you do, just do something!" Jim screamed in rage.

"I got this! I got thiiiiiiiis!" the skinny scientist screeched and hammered new commands into the console right in front of him. It was as if the whole ship was about to come apart when suddenly...

 _Wwwwwwwww..._

A long whir echoed through the room and the infernal noise suddenly stopped. It sounded like an engine that was turned off, and right now it was the sweetest music Jim could imagine. He placed his hand on the huge crate right next to him and brushed the sweat off his forehead.

"Jeezus..." he groaned. "...what the hell was that?"

"That, Commander, was Mister "I double-checked my numbers!" over here!" Swann growled and threw a wrench at Stetmann, who dodged it with ease.

"I don't know what went wrong, Commander! This shouldn't have happened." he whined.

"Well, it did happen!" Swann barked. "And now our entire freshwater-supplies are probably done for. Great job, you moron!"

"No!" Stetmann replied. "Ha! I installed a filter to make sure that this wouldn't happen. You see, Rory, I'm not completely useless."

"Filter? What filter? You do know damn well that I want to see every piece of tech that people install on this ship!" the Chief Engineer growled and Stetmann pointed with his finger at the crate right next to Jim.

"Don't worry, you can check it out yourself. It's top-of-the-line. There, the filter I installed is the one the Commander is leaning against and..." There was a long and awkward moment of silence. Followed by an "Oh!" by Stetmann.

"Find the mistake." Jim sighed. "Just so you know, Stetmann, _you_ can clean those pipes and-"

 _ **BANG!**_

"What now?!" Swann screamed when another loud noise echoed through the room. It sounded like metal tearing itself apart.

"Oh, that can't be good." Jim muttered and decided to walk backward and towards the door. "Stetmann?" The skinny scientist looked at the console and frowned.

"I don't get it. The pressure is still rising! How? This isn't supposed to happen!" he whined. Unfortunately, it was.

"Turn it off! I mean it, Stetmann, turn that thing off!" Jim shouted.

"I... I can't!" he whined. Swann ran over to him and pushed him away in order to take a look at the console. It was time for the professional to take over. The Chief Engineer looked at the display and then...

"Oh, shit."

Well, that wasn't a good sign.

"Guys? What the hell is-" Jim shouted, but that's when the pipes started to hiss and vibrate. Something was moving through those pipes under high pressure. More pressure than they could handle. And when the first one finally blew...

...there was no water coming out of it.

"HOLY SHIT!" Jim screamed. He didn't even bother giving orders when he stormed out of the room. Swann and Stetmann were right behind him, and when they were all out, all the pipes exploded simultaneously.

"RUN!" Jim screamed. They didn't even try to seal the door, all they could do was to run as if the devil himself was right behind them. An unbelievable stench filled the corridor and Jim held his breath while running for his dear life. Behind them, a tidal wave of all the unpleasant things a human body could produce crashed through the door and started to flood the corridor.

"THAT'S NOT HOW I WANT TO DIE!" Stetmann howled.

"I TOLD YOU THIS WAS A BAD IDEA!" Swann yelled as well. Since his legs were the shortest, he was soon dead last. The three men ran around a corner and spotted another member of the crew. The woman, a technician, blinked in surprise when she saw how the Commander, wearing nothing but slippers, boxer shorts and a shirt, the Chief Engineer and the most useless scientist of all times came running towards her while screaming like a bunch of idiots.

"Move! MOVE!" Jim screamed and pointed at the door leading to the staircase. She hesitated for a second, not sure if this was just a joke. But when she spotted the brown flood, her eyes widened in shock and she ran for her dear life. When she reached the door, she stopped, turned around and waited for the three men to reach them. Stetmann was the first. He was really fast if he wanted to. Next was Jim. And then-

"GHAAAAA! THESE BOOTS WERE BRAND NEW!" Swann howled when the ground beneath him became wet. You could see the look of anguish on his face. He was so close, so close. The technician had her hand on the emergency button, ready to close the door. And when the Chief Engineer was safe, she punched the button and the door closed within less than a second. A sludge of brown managed to get through a tiny gap and everyone turned away. Thankfully it landed on the wall on the other side. And then...

"Ah...ah...ah..." Jim panted and looked around. "Everyone okay?"

"I think I'm gonna puke!" the technician gagged. "Was that...?"

"Yes." Swann growled. "And I would appreciate if we won't talk about that topic anymore. Ever. For all times." Jim took a few deep breaths and walked over to a nearby intercom. He pressed the speaker-button and took a deep breath.

"Raynor to bridge, you hear me?" Someone answered immediately.

"Bridge here. Commander, what's going on? We are getting an emergency warning from deck 8. Is everything-"

"Seal off deck 8!" Jim interrupted the man on the other side of the line. "Evacuate it. Every door and every hatch has to be sealed. Now!"

"Yes, Sir!" the man replied and then they heard how something behind the door started to move and shift. And then...

"Whew..." Jim sighed. "Remind me to never do that again. Is everyone alright?"

"Oh, someone will be NOT alright once I'm done with him!" Swann growled and stomped towards Stetmann, ready to turn the skinny scientist into a human pretzel. But that's when suddenly the intercom came alive and a very, very, _very_ angry Matt Horner could be heard.

"To the crew of the Hyperion! Find Stetmann! I want him! Dead or alive, I don't care! BRING ME STETMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN!" When Jim heard that, he looked at Stetmann, then Swann, then the door leading to deck 8, and then at Stetmann again.

"Co-commander?" the skinny scientist whined and looked at Jim with a pleading expression on his face.

"You know what?" the Commander then said. "I'm going back to sleep now. I'm out." And with that Jim turned around and simply left. Someone else could clean up this mess!

* * *

"I wonder what's the story behind this." Bowski mumbled and leaned forward. He looked for something that could tell him why they had decided to seal this door shut. And then he spotted something dark. It was impossible to tell what it was, it had probably rotted away a long time ago. But it still kinda looked like a liquid that had managed to squeeze itself through a tiny hole. Bowski was about to touch it when suddenly-

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Paula mumbled and he looked over his shoulder.

"Huh?" he muttered.

"Just...leave it. Trust me, you don't want to know what this is." the young woman mumbled. Bowski frowned when he noticed the sickly expression on her face.

"Are you okay?" he asked. "You look kinda, well, green."

"Oh, you would look green as well if you knew." Paula replied.

"What are you talking about?"

"Nothin'. Come, Justine isn't behind that door." the young woman said and turned away.

"Janice. Her name is Janice."

"Whatever. If we find a Justine, then I'm cool with that." Paula declared and decided to head further down. Bowski wanted to tell her to not wander off on her own again, but then he just sighed and decided to follow her.

"Frustrating woman..." he growled. The door leading to deck 9 was open and so they knew what to do next.

"I think I sense something ahead." Paula suddenly declared and Bowski frowned when he heard that.

"What?"

"Something. Up ahead. Could be our lost lamb." she told him.

"You can actually sense her?"

"Maybe." Paula muttered. Suddenly she seemed rather tight-lipped. "Come on, I want to bring as much distance between me and that deck as possible."

"Why? What's so horrible that they had to seal it off? You know something, right?" Bowski mused.

"I... don't want to talk about it. And you don't want to hear any details, trust me. Some secrets are just better to stay forgotten." But then she looked over her shoulder and flashed him one of those goofy grins.

"But just so you know: From time to time?" she cooed.

"Shit happens."


	8. Chapter 8

**So, here's a shocking peace of information that will probably deeply disturb you: I really like Starcraft's story. That might be the reason why I have decided to write fanfics about this story. However, from time to time I recieve notes from people who, how shall I say it? "Hate Starcraft in an almost unhealthy fashion"? And they never get tired to point out all the logic flaws in the original story. Like how the characters are over-the-top, how they don't act like real people, so on, so on.**

 **The thing is: In which story do the characters actually act like "real people"? Do you think Star Wars became such a huge success because the characters act like "real people"? Or that Captain Kirk or Picard in Star Trek became such icons because they act like "real people"? So what if a game that's basically one huge sci-fi-opera has some logic flaws. I think the people who want to discuss those thing with me only want to nitpick. And worse, they want that everyone shares their point of view.**

 **That doesn't mean that there aren't things that bother me. There are some loose ends that make me wonder what happened to this or that. Usually those are things or people in the original story that we never hear of again. So yeah, you will probably see a lot of those things in the next couple of chapters.**

 **Like always, you don't have to agree with me. But if you want to read something different, write it yourself and stop telling me that I should change it.**

 **Thanks for bjlu0900 for being such a great beta-reader!**

* * *

 **Chapter 8**

 **How the hell did this thing end up here?**

* * *

''Wow. Those are a _lot_ of weapons..." Dan Bowski mumbled as he looked around. He pointed his flashlight at a huge piece of metal right in front of him and blinked a few times. "Is that a tank? Like...a real tank?" Unsure of what to do next, the Marshal just stayed where he was and looked around. There wasn't just one tank, but at least half a dozen. While he was impressed at first, Bowski soon noticed that these machines were all useless. The turret of the first tank lacked a cannon, and the one behind that had its threads removed, as well as the cannon. It was pretty obvious that someone had decided to de-militarize these tools of war at one point.

Just in order to be sure, Dan walked up to the first tank and decided to take a quick peek. He climbed on top of this huge tool of destruction and when he looked at the space behind the turret, his suspicions were confirmed.

"I suppose that's where the engine was located." he mumbled and shone with his flashlight into the empty pit that once had housed the mentioned engine. A faint smile appeared on his face when a realization hit him.

"What're you smiling about?" Paula asked from behind him.

"You are the psionic. Can't you tell?" he retorted.

"First you tell me that you want people to respect your privacy, now you're asking me to do the exact opposite? Yeah, right. Fat chance." the young woman mumbled.

Touché.

"It's just...funny." Dan explained. "They probably de-militarized these tanks a thousand years ago. And you know what? They did it the exact same way we do it nowadays. Funny. Either the people from back then were a lot cleverer than we think, or we are a lot dumber than we like to believe."

"There's a third option, you know." Paula said and the Marshal looked over his shoulder.

"Really? What would that be?"

"People are people." she told him with a faint smile on her lips. "No matter the time or place." And that actually drew a chuckle from his chest.

"Yeah...guess I can't argue with that logic, girl." he mumbled. For a second it seemed as if Paula wanted to complain that he had called her "girl" again, but then she noticed the distant look on Dan's face as he brushed with his hand over the turret of the tank. The way he looked at it almost seemed...gentle? Kinda weird if you think about it, this was still a tank. There was nothing soft or gentle about it.

"Well, everyone has a fetish I guess." Paula mumbled, and when Dan looked at her again, she could see the frown on his face.

"What did you say?"

"Nothin'!" she cooed and turned away. The hangar was huge. And full of equipment no one had bothered to remove.

"So many tools of destruction." she whispered and walked through this forgotten boneyard. There weren't only tanks. One corner of the hanger was filled with what looked like parts of power armors. It was a rather eerie sight; a pile of armored arms, legs, chestpieces and helmets.

"Just add some creep to it and it looks like Char." Paula mumbled and shook her head in order to get that thought out of her head. Behind her, Dan climbed off the tank and decided to follow her.

"Hard to believe they used stuff like this back then." he mumbled. "And then...what is that?" the Marshal asked when he pointed his flashlight at something that looked like a huge robot. Paula, who had spotted something very interesting, stopped and turned around. When she noticed the object of Bowski's confusion, she couldn't help but smile.

"That's a goliath." she explained and walked up to the man and the machine. "It was a dedicated anti-air-platform. Highly mobile and flexible too."

"Huh..." was all that Dan could say. He placed his hand on one of the huge legs of the machine and looked upwards. The machine was easily twelve feet was just out of reach. If he would jump, he probably could touch it, though.

"That looks like one of those robots from the cartoons I watched as a child. Sword Horseman and the Stellar Marshals. Best show ever." he chuckled.

"Oh God, please tell me that you just made that up." Paula groaned. "Wait, you watched cartoons when you were little?"

"Why does that surprise you?" Dan asked back.

"It's nothing personal, it's just...weird." Paula mused. When Bowski heard that, he turned around and looked her straight into the eyes.

"Why would you say something like that?"

"Because..." she sighed. "...people seem to enjoy watching shows or movies, or even holo-novels. Yet when there's a real adventure right in front of them, they act as if they want to be anywhere else."

"Perhaps because it's no fun to risk your own skin if you can relax and watch it from your couch?" Dan suggested.

"Pah!" Paula shot back. "What's the point of living, then? If we follow that line of thoughts, then we never fall in love, because we are too scared of being rejected. Or worse, we decide to skip out on all the fun, while we remain hidden from the world and act as if we aren't part of it." The last part was just a whisper, yet when Bowski heard that, he looked at her with a confused expression on his face.

"Say what?"

"Nothin'!" Paula muttered and turned away. For a moment it seemed as if she was angry. However, this time Dan was pretty certain that he wasn't the reason for her anger. Maybe it was something between her and Sirella? The Marshal shook his head and turned his attention back towards the goliath while Paula turned away and checked out the rest of the hangar.

"To think someone would actually sit inside this thing and pilot it into battle." Dan muttered. There was no way to deny it, this thing did fascinate him. It was like in all those shows he had watched as a kid.

"Guess someone is a mecha-fan!" he suddenly heard Paula sing from the other side of the hangar.

"Get out of my head, dammit!"

"There's nothing to be ashamed of, Dan." the young woman giggled. "Everyone has a fetish!"

"Is that so?" the Marshal replied and turned away from the giant robot. "And what would your fetish be, huh?"

"Chocolate cake. And this baby over here!" she told him. When Dan heard that, he frowned and walked into the same direction she had vanished. It didn't take him long to find her, however.

"What is that?" Dan muttered as he looked at the machine Paula was standing next to. There was a faint smile on her face and she brushed with her hand over the cold, metallic surface of the object as if she was enjoying a fond memory. "Is that...some sort of missile?" the Marshal mused, which caused his companion to chuckle.

"Heh. You know, that's not even that far from the truth." she explained. "This, my friend, is a vulture-bike." Bowski noticed the "my friend"-part but decided to say nothing. Instead, he stared at the machine and frowned. Sure, there was a seat. And with some imagination, you could call the thing in front of it a windshield. But aside from that?

"Looks like a missile with a saddle on it." he mused, which caused Paula to laugh out loud.

"Ha! Now you got full points, mister! That's probably the best way on how to describe what a vulture-bike is."

"A... vulture-bike?" Bowski wondered and frowned. "No wheels. Quantum displacement?"

"Nope." Paula replied. "Nothing so fancy. Antigrav." When the Marshal heard that, he looked at Paula in disbelief.

"Antigrav? Are you kidding me? What else? Is this thing powered with coal?"

"Nuclear fusion-cells." Paula told him. "You might want to step back a little. If someone forgot to remove the cells when they demilitarized this thing, then we probably already earned ourselves a deadly dose of radiation."

"You're a bag of fun, Kerrigan." Bowski growled, not believing one word of what she had just told him. However, when he made a step backward, just to be certain, Paula couldn't help but grin. She didn't show any hesitation and climbed on the heavy machine. She sat down on the seat and put her hands around the throttle. The goofy grin on her face turned into a gentle smile.

"Would be one hell of a gift..." she whispered to herself.

"What did you say?" Dan asked her and she looked at him. For a second, she seemed to be unsure of what to say next, but then...

"My father, he...once owned one of these things." Paula told him.

"He's into oldtimers?" Dan mused. That question caused Paula to snicker.

"The only oldtimer he's into nowadays is my mum." she said. "Wait, that came out wrong..."

"Can't imagine that someone who still has all marbles in the right place would be so stupid to ride such a thing." Dan mumbled. "How fast do they go anyway? Because this thing looks, well, _fast_."

"Up to 370 kilometers per hour, depending on the terrain." When Bowski heard that, he looked at Paula in disbelief.

"Okay, now you're making fun of me. There's no way that you would ride this thing that fast." the Marshal declared. "Would it?"

"Heh, if you're nice to me, then maybe I'm gonna take you for a ride one day." Paula beamed. "Yeah, this baby would make an awesome gift. If not for my father, then at least for my uncle. He loves to tinker with old tech."

"You know, now you sound as if you have only come here in order to hunt for souvenirs." When Paula heard that, she blushed and waved with her hand.

"What? Pffff! Nooo? Seriously, that's probably the most ridiculous idea I have ever heard!" And then she turned her head away and bit on her lip.

"Well, whatever." Bowski growled and shook his head before checking out the rest of the hangar. "Just so you know, if there is any radiation down here and I turn infertile, I will haunt you for the rest of your life."

"Last time I checked you still needed a girlfriend for that sort of fun." Paula shot back. "Also, I'm pretty confident that I can outlive you." And then she blinked a few times and looked over her shoulder. "Wait, did you just try to flirt with me?"

"Sorry, you're not my type." Dan shouted over from the other end of the hangar.

"Too energetic and beautiful?"

"Too annoying and insane."

"That's not what a lady wants to hear..." Paula mused and-

"And what the hell is this?" Bowski suddenly muttered and the young woman frowned when she heard that. Paula sighed and climbed off the vulture-bike before following Dan's voice. To her, this place held no secrets. At least that's what she thought. But when she reached Dan and looked at the vehicle that occupied the other part of the hangar. As she lay gaze upon the machine, Paula's eyes widened in surprise and disbelief.

"How the hell did _this_ thing end up here?!" she asked herself and...

* * *

...didn't believe what he was seeing.

"How?" was the only thing Jim managed to mutter.

"I know." Rory Swann said with a big, fat grin on his face. "Tell me you're not impressed, Cowboy."

"I'm not impressed, Swann." Jim growled, and the grin on Swann's face became even bigger.

"Yeah, I thought you'd be...wait a second, what?!" the short engineer asked. "That was retho...rata...robic-"

"Metaphorical." the former Marshal of Mar Sara educated his Chief Engineer. "The word you're looking for is "rhetorical". And no, I'm not making fun of you. Just what in damnation were you thinkin', Swann?!" When he looked at the engineer, he could see the confusion on Swann's face.

"Uhm...seriously, what?" the dumbfounded engineer wanted to know.

"I want to know what in hell you were thinking when you decided to waste our resources for this...this..." Jim shouted and pointed his finger at the dark object standing in the middle of the hanger.

"Masterpiece?" Swann offered.

"Piece of trash!" the younger man snarled. The proud expression on Swann's face vanished and was instead replaced by utter disbelief.

"Trash? Did you just call this baby _trash_?" He sounded as if Jim had just insulted his mother in the most horrid way possible.

"Yes, Swann! I can't believe you wasted our precious resources to make this thing pretty again! We are stretched thin as it is. You are bitch-moaning about not having enough spare-parts, and what is it you're doin'? You're wasting them on this thing!" Jim barked and stomped with his foot on the ground. "Dammit, Swann! You should have talked with someone about this! Asked for permission first!"

"Who?" Swann shot back. "The boyscout? Aw, never! He's too busy admiring himself in the mirror, with his shiny uniform."

"He's still the XO of this ship, Swann. And I'm done telling you to show him proper respect!" Jim explained and gritted his teeth in frustration.

"Aw, come on! That boyscout hasn't even three hairs grown from his chin. He's not-"

"He's my second-in-command, Swann." Jim growled. "And when you joined the Raiders, you agreed to follow not only my orders but that of my officers as well. And Ma- I mean, Captain Horner's orders were clear; not wasting any resources unless absolutely necessary." And then the Commander of the Raiders pointed once more with his finger at the dropship standing right in front of them.

"This! Is! Not! Necessary!" he snarled.

Instead of wavering, Swann just grabbed into his pocket and pulled a flask out. Jim was no angel, by no means. And he had started to drink more alcohol than he should in the last couple of weeks. It all had started after Tarsonis. Well, he had enjoyed a good drink before, but after losing the planet, things had become increasingly difficult. Both on the battlefield...

...and elsewhere.

Swann took his sweet time emptying his flask, and when he was finally done, he decided to grunt and belched like a true space-hobo. If he would have farted, Jim would have thrown him out of the next airlock immediately.

"Must admit, Cowboy, I'm disappointed." Swann then declared. "Thought you'd be a bit more grateful. And that you would recognize a piece of art when you see it."

"It's a dropship, Swann." Jim growled. "A goddamn dropship! If there's one thing that we can always replace, then it's a damn dropship. Every goddamn outpost and their grandmother have at least half a dozen of those. I wouldn't be so angry if you had decided to fix some of our tanks. Or the Hyperion. Or...well, anything but a damn dropship!"

"Like your vulture-bike?" Swann chuckled.

"Watch it, Swann." the former Marshal of Mar Sara shot back. "There are two things a man should never do: Insult someone else's mother and make fun of a vulture-bike."

"Huh, never heard of that second rule before." the short engineer mused.

"If you want to ride with the Raiders, then better get used to it. That rule is sacred."

"I keep it in mind." Swann replied with a dry tone in his voice before he stretched his limbs. "Anyway, once you see what I did to this baby, you will beg me to forgive you."

"Forgive me? For what?" Jim wanted to know.

"For being an unbeliever." Swann declared. "Come on, let me show you what I did to your new personal shuttle!" When the short engineer stomped towards the dropship, Jim frowned and wondered if he could just throw him out of the airlock and claim it had been an accident.

"Personal shuttle?" the former Marshal muttered. "Dude, I got a personal _battlecruiser_!"

"Aw, quit'yer'bitchin' and check this out!" the engineer replied. Once they reached the dropship, Swann put his hand on the cold metal of the hull and looked over his shoulder. "Can you see it?"

"You painted it black. Great. I'm so impressed." Jim griped. "Did you do that all by yourself or did you require our entire engineering-staff for that?"

"Got, who took a shit in your coffee, Cowboy?"

"You did."

"Eh, take a closer look, dammit!" Swann barked. "You see this?" Jim was about to turn away, but then he sighed and squinted his eyes. Since the dropship had been painted black, it was hard to tell any difference when compared to any other dropship. But the longer Jim looked at it...

"Did you add armor-plating to this thing?" he wondered.

"A-yup!" Swann said with a proud grin on his face.

"Great." Jim muttered. "Give me a blowtorch and I can do that myself. No reason to brag about it. Also, are you insane? Additional armor turns this thing into a pregnant whale! These damn dropships are already sluggish as hell. So, congratulations on making something bad even worse."

"Nope!" Swann replied and pointed with his finger at the two large engines. "Guess what? I managed not only to add armor to all the critical parts of this baby, I was also able to increase the thrust by roughly 25 percent. How about that?" Okay, that did sound impressive. But Jim wasn't willing to show that to Swann.

"I don't even want to know how you managed to make this thing go even faster." the younger man mumbled. "Let me guess, you removed the shielding around the reactor, right?"

"No. But hey, that's actually a pretty good idea." Swann said. "The radiation shouldn't bother you, right? I mean, since you already sit all the time on that damn vulture-bike, which is powered by nuclear batteries. Your little swimmers must be dead by now anyway, amirite?"

"I think my little swimmers are just okay. And we will never have this conversation again, Swann. Never!" Jim growled.

"Tsk. You're almost as bad as that boyscout. Almost." Swann sighed and pointed his finger at the dropship. "So, in order to sate your curiosity, I tweaked the engines. I removed some parts here, added some there, rebuilt the engines from the ground up. You know, the usual stuff."

"Why do I have the feeling that this thing runs with booze now?" Jim whispered. However, Swann didn't seem to have noticed that comment.

"The armor was reinforced everywhere where it counts." the engineer explained. "Should come in handy especially during re-entry. This baby can outrun anything when doing a combat-drop. You will be the first one to hit the ground. Even 'dem Protoss will have a hard time catching up with you in this baby!"

"You know, I think I don't want to find out wherever this is true or not." the Commander sighed. "Especially now that we found some friends among the Protoss."

"Yeah, well, they only cook with gas, like everyone else."

"Sounds like someone's jealous."

"I prefer my tech not to glow all the time." Swann growled.

"Yep, definitely jealous."

"Aw, zip it! Come on, gonna show you the rest!" the short engineer barked and walked over to the backside of the dropship. The rear hatch was open and so Swann and Jim entered the dropship. Only then the Commander stopped and looked around with an expression of amazement on his face.

"What the hell is that?!" he wondered. "Swann, what did you do to this place?"

"Pretty neat, huh?" the engineer beamed and stretched his arms out. "Yeah, looks nothing like a normal drosphip, huh?"

"No, it doesn't." Jim agreed. A dropship usually had only one mission: To deliver goods or troops. However, that didn't mean that it was a spacious ride. Oh no, far from it. Sure, if there was only one person inside, things were pretty relaxed. But if you carry a bunch of soldiers wearing heavy combat-armor, things get really cramped. The inside of this dropship was different, though. Jim looked around, and for a moment he thought that there was something wrong with his eyes. Maybe this was some kind of optical illusion?

"How...did you do that?" he asked with real curiosity in his voice.

"Heh, knew you would be impressed!" Swann chuckled. "Well, I don't want to bore you with all the details. Let's just say I removed a bulkhead here, added some there, and whoops, there we go! You wouldn't believe how much you can do with one of those babies. They beg to be modified."

"You can fit a whole platoon in here." Jim mumbled, clearly impressed.

"Yeah. Or a complete emergency room." the engineer suggested and the Commander looked at him.

"Say what?"

"That's a funny idea I had a while ago. Tremmer, one of the combat-medics, watched me ripping out those seats. And then she suggested that someone should put a field hospital on it. Kinda like the idea." When Jim heard that, he looked around and squinted his eyes.

"You know..." he mumbled. "...I have to agree. That does sound like a solid idea." How many soldiers died on the battlefield because they didn't get proper treatment? And we're not talking about stuff a medic can fix. The rate of survival of a wounded soldier usually climbed drastically if he or she could be treated within 30 minutes or less after receiving a critical injury. "You could relocate the field hospital almost immediately should the situation arise."

"Yeah. And imagine what you can do if you have three or four of these things. Could save a lot of lives." Swann mused. Suddenly Jim was all ears. He wasn't so thick that he couldn't see the benefit of such an idea.

"I'm gonna talk with Matt about this. I'm sure that he will like the idea as well." Jim said.

"Ugh, the boyscout? Why, can't our Commander make any decisions on his own anymore?" Swann griped.

"Your Commander likes to inform his second-in-command about a good idea his chief engineer proposed to him. Got a problem with that?"

"Nope." the short engineer growled. "Does that mean you're cool with it?"

"Hell no." Jim replied. "I'm still gonna roast your ass for doing this without talking to either me or Matt first."

"Aw, come on! This is-" the engineer tried to defend himself, but then he was cut short by Jim.

"I'm serious, Swann!" the younger man barked. "Just because you have a good idea doesn't mean that you can just go ahead and do whatever you want to."

"That's how we did it on Meinhoff all the time and-"

"Well, you ain't on Meinhoff anymore!"

"So I noticed." Swann mumbled. "Come on, Boss, this is bullshit! You know I would never screw things up on purpose. But I saw a chance and I took it. Isn't that what the Raiders are all about?"

"No." Jim replied. "That's not what we are all about. You should have run this idea by me first. And so far, I'm not overly impressed. So, if this is all you came up with, then-"

"Oh, you want to see something impressive?" the engineer growled. "I'm gonna show you something impressive!" And with that, the shorter man stomped towards the cockpit. Jim sighed and brushed with his hand over his head. He didn't want to sound like an ass, but if this outfit was supposed to have any chance of standing up against Mengsk's newly founded "Dominion", then they had to act less than a bunch of rednecks and more like professionals.

"Swann! Don't make this any harder! You know I'm right and-"

"Get over here and look at that!" the engineer barked from the cockpit and Jim sighed once more. He decided to not escalate things any further and walked over to the cockpit. When he entered it, he realized that this place had received a whole lot of Swann's love as well.

"Holy...those are a lot of monitors." Jim mused as he looked around. Swann leaned against the pilot's seat and had a cocky grin on his face.

"Pretty nice, eh'? Took me four whole days to get all the wiring right. There are still a few gremlins in the system, but nothing I can't fix."

"Just what is this stuff?" Jim asked.

"Ehehehe...the wet dream of any good commander in the field." Swann explained. "That, my dear Commander, is a TB-8-24." When Jim heard that, his eyes widened in surprise and he looked at Swann in utter disbelief.

"What?!" he gasped. "Are you shittin' me? A TB-8-24?"

"A-yup!" Swann replied. "The finest the late Confederacy has to offer. Latest model. And not the light-version either. Oh no! This is the real deal."

"H-how...?" Jim stuttered.

"How did I manage to get my hands on one of those? Or how did I manage to squeeze this baby into the dropship?" Swann asked.

"Both."

"Heh. You can offer me a drink. Then I'll tell you." the short engineer declared. The proud and smug grin on his face was almost too much to tolerate, even for Jim. Still, he couldn't deny that what Swann had done was pretty impressive.

"So, this thing is working?" he asked and looked at one of the monitors.

"Would I lie to you?"

"Occasionally, yes." Jim replied. "It just baffles my mind that you managed to squeeze all that tech in this tiny cockpit!"

"Well, it ain't that hard if you know what you're doing." Swann explained.

"So, you know someone that smart?" the Commander teased him.

"Oh, harr harr. Someone's trying to be funny." the engineer shot back. "Trust me when I tell you that this baby is fully operational. You can coordinate an entire battlegroup with this thing."

"Great, now we only need a battlegroup." Jim chuckled, yet even he had to admit that this was one hell of a surprise. TB-8-24 was the name of a command-and-control-computer. One of the best, maybe _the_ best out there. Not only could it be used to coordinate an entire battlegroup, but with this baby Jim could coordinate troops in a way no one could imagine.

"Heh..." the Commander chuckled as he brushed with his fingers over a keyboard right next to the pilot's seat. "...the Magistrate from Mar Sara I used to work with used a TB-6-20. Almost bitchmoaned about how ineffective this thing was. He always said that working with this thing was like playing a really bad video-game."

"Well, this thing is like a good video-game." Swann explained. "Even got real 3d-graphics."

"Hah! Next thing you tell me is that I can check the status on more than 12 units at the same time." Jim laughed.

"Up to 36." Swann informed him. "Oh, and that's not all of it. This thing also has a jammer hardwired into it. You can put marmalade over all the sensors within one klick."

"As long as it isn't made of alien goo, that is." Jim mumbled. "You think this thing could affect the Protoss?" When Swann heard that question, he shrugged his shoulders.

"Dunno. But maybe it will give them one hell of a headache. Might want to warn your new pals about it. You know, before you make them mad."

"I'm sure to keep that in mind." the Commander replied and then he shook his head in disbelief. "Okay, I admit it. Color me impressed, I did not see that coming. Could you do that to another dropship as well?"

"Are you crazy?" Swann gasped. "You think that TB-8-24 fell out of the sky and that there's an endless supply waiting for me to salvage it? Sorry, Boss, but right now this baby is one of a kind."

"Damn shame." Jim mumbled. "But hey, you could do the same thing to the hull. You know, add armor and remove the stuff inside. I like that idea of putting a field hospital into one of those things. It could save a lot of lives." When Swann heard that, the smug grin on his face vanished.

"That sounds like _extra hours_ to me..." the engineer growled.

"Yeah, well, consider this a fitting punishment for doing this without running it by me or Matt first. Serves you right."

"Curse you. And just when I wanted to show you the really cool stuff that I added!" Swann barked.

"Jeezus, Swann!" Jim groaned. "You just told me that you added one of the best battle-computers known to man into this thing. What else did you do? Put some nukes on it?"

"Naaaa, tried that. Let's just say that the idea had a lot of flaws." Swann muttered and walked over to the pilot's seat. He turned it around and presented something to Jim.

"Is that...?" the Commander asked with a baffled tone in his voice.

"Yup. Made it myself. Designed even for zero-g. Had to come up with my very own anti-slip covering. Even if you pull 9 g's, this thing won't let go. Oh, and it will stay cool no matter what." Swann explained with a proud tone in his voice. All Jim could say was...

"Swann, you're a genius!"

"I know, right? I don't understand why no one thought about adding a cup-holder before. That way you don't have to hold your beer in one hand while flying this thing with the other!" But Jim was barely listening. All he could do was to stare at that cup-holder in awe.

"This has to be the single greatest invention since they discovered fire." Jim muttered.

"Teh, don't blow your mind just yet, Cowboy. There's more."

"What?!" Jim gasped. "More?" And then Swann leaned down and opened a small hatch right next to the cup-holder. And when Jim looked inside, he realized...

"Is that...a mini fridge?!"

"Yup." Swann replied with a fat grin on his face. "To keep your beer cool even during the heat of a combat-drop. Are you impressed or are you impressed?"

"Hot damn. Can you install one of those things on the bridge of the Hyperion as well?" Jim wanted to know and the grin on Swann's face became absurdly wide.

"I thought you'd never ask!" The engineer turned around and walked towards the exit while waving with his mechanical arm. "I'm gonna get started right away! Just wait and see, once I'm done there will be cold beer on every deck! EVERY DECK, I TELL YOU!" And when Jim followed Swann outside, he had to admit that he liked the sound of that.

"Boy, I can sure use a cold beer right now!" Jim mumbled. Yeah, he totally had to go to the cafeteria. And when he stepped out of the dropship...

* * *

"How...?" Paula whispered and Dan looked over at her.

"You look surprised." he stated the brutally obvious. But even than the Marshal had to admit that seeing Paula Kerrigan surprised was nice for a change.

"How did this thing end up here?" the young woman muttered as if Bowski wasn't even present. He watched how Paula walked over to the dark dropship and brushed with her hand over the belly of the machine while standing beneath it. Dan noticed the almost gentle expression on Paula's face as she moved slowly around the huge vehicle.

"I thought Mum took you for a ride..." Paula said with a quiet voice.

"What did you say?" Dan asked, not understanding a single word.

"Nothing." was her only reply. And then... "Guess I don't know everything about this place. Someone has to explain this to me."

"Just what are you talking about, Kerrigan? Make some sense, for crying out loud!" Dan protested, and only then did Paula blink and shook her head.

"You're right. Sorry, got carried away." she muttered and walked over to the rear of the dropship. Ignoring the Marshal's ranting, Paula walked up the ramp and entered the vessel through the rear hatch.

"Goddamit!" Bowski barked behind her. "Stop that! Don't just go inside, you don't know if it's safe!"

"Oh, it is totally safe, believe me. And you want to check this thing out." Paula told him. Great, more cryptic talk. Just what he needed. Unfortunately, there was little he could do about it. By now Dan understood that it was pointless to argue with that woman. That frustrating, irritating woman that didn't seem to care about all the important stuff, yet seemed to be fascinated by the things no one cared about. As they entered the dropship, Dan couldn't help but shudder at the eerie sight. They had been walking through a dark and empty ancient battlecruiser for hours now, but the insides of this dropship were so different.

"I don't like this..." the Marshal muttered. Sure, he had his flashlight. And the weird crystal Paula had brought along sure was helpful as well. But even then, Dan couldn't shake that eerie feeling. The corridors of the battlecruiser had been narrow, yes. However, they had also been long. There was plenty of space, even if most of it was shrouded in darkness. The insides of this dropship felt...claustrophobic.

The Marshal wasn't afraid of tight and confined places, but he couldn't deny feeling a bit, well, nervous. Well, there was probably nothing to be afraid of. There was no way in hell that there could be something down here that was still a threat. Aside from nuclear fusion-cells that might leak their load and radiation all over the place. So, all he had to do was to calm down and-

 _Clink!_

"Huh?" Bowski muttered when he stepped on something. He pulled his foot back and looked down. "Is this...a bullet casing?" he whispered and knelt down in order to pick it up. It was indeed a bullet casing. And only then Dan realized that there were many more bullet casings lying all over the floor.

"What's that?" the Marshal said when the trail of bullet casings led him to a gun locker. There was only one gun inside. It looked like a rifle, a sniper rifle to be exact. "Now that's one hell of a gun." he muttered and brushed with his finger over the tool of destruction.

"DON'T TOUCH THAT!" Paula suddenly yelled and Dan looked at her in surprise. The young woman stormed towards him and pushed him aside. He was about to ask her what this was all about when he noticed the pained expression on Paula's face.

"What's the matter with you, Kerrigan?" he demanded to know, yet Paula didn't even bother answering his question. Instead...

"That's the one she used...when they hunted her." Paula whispered. "It's still here." There was something truly awkward about this situation. Dan watched how his companion brushed with her finger over the rifle in an almost gentle fashion, yet the expression on her face was filled with sorrow.

"Would make for one hell of a souvenir." Dan joked. He wasn't even serious about that, yet the moment those words left his mouth, Paula's hand jerked back and she made a step backward.

"No..." Her voice was but a whisper. "...it would be a horrible present. She wouldn't like it one bit."

" _She_?" Bowski wondered. "Who's _she_?"

"Nevermind." Paula answered and turned away. It was almost as if the sight of that weapon had touched something inside her. Was she...upset?

"This is wrong." the young woman explained when she walked away from the gun locker. "This thing shouldn't be here."

"The gun?"

"This whole vessel."

"Why?" Dan wanted to know, but that's when he noticed something in the corner. At first, he thought it was some trash someone had left here, but when the light of the flashlight and Paula's weird crystal fell on it, he suddenly noticed...

...rips...

...claws...

...and sharp teeth.

"KERRIGAN, WATCH OUT!" he barked, grabbed Paula by the arm and pulled her back. He pulled his gun out and pointed it at the dreadful creature cowering in the corner, ready to open fire.

"It's dead." Paula just said with a calm tone in her voice and freed herself from Dan's grip. "You don't have to kill it again." Her calm yet sad voice confused the Marshal even more. He kept his gun pointed at the creature lying in the corner of the dropship. At first, he had problems to make out any details. Aside from all the claws and teeth, of course. But the longer he stared at it, the more features he could make out.

The creature was dead. Probably had been dead for a very long time, it was just a mummified husk. Still, the head sported some impressive teeth that looked razor-sharp. It had the size of a big dog, including a strong and thick tail covered with barbs and thorns. It had four legs and two more limb-like claws sprouting from its back. Dan had never seen a creature like that before.

"What...is that?" he mumbled. Paula sighed and walked over to the corpse. "No! Kerrigan, don't!" he warned her, yet she didn't listen. Instead, she knelt down right next to the creature and placed her hand on its head.

"That..." she mumbled. "...is a Zergling."

"A... Zergling?" Bowski gasped. "As in... Zerg?"

"Yeah..." Paula's voice was but a whisper. From the head of this creature sprouted two horns. Though it was actually only one since the second one was broken off. Dan wondered what kind of opponent could do something like that. The entire creature didn't look like an animal, but a beast from a cheap horror movie.

"So that's where you ended up." Paula whispered. " _She_ always wondered what happened to you." Again, who was Paula talking about?

"That doesn't make any sense." the young woman said again.

"Well, at least we can agree on that." Bowski mumbled. "I don't want to sound rude, but could you please start making sense?" And then he added an almost pitiful "For once?"

"Zerg back then were driven by only one imperative." Paula suddenly explained. "Everyone served the Swarm. They were all like the cells of your or mine body. But...they weren't all mindless drones. Some Zerg possessed individuality. Character. And even a simple creature like a Zergling could feel something like kinship." Dan decided to stay quiet as he watched how Paula was petting the dead creature as if it was just that: a pet. Even though he was certain that this thing had to be dead, he wouldn't even touch it if his life depended on it.

"Just what are you babbling about?" Dan growled. However, instead of answering his question, Paula just pointed with her other hand at the door leading to the cockpit.

"You might want to check the cockpit. I think I sense something on the other side of the door." she told him.

"Something?" Bowski asked. "Like...a living Zerg?"

"Don't be ridiculous. I'm pretty sure it's the reason why we came down here." Paula chastised him. "Just go." There was something strange about the way she acted. Suddenly she seemed so...sad.

"Are you sure? Kerrigan? You okay? If you-"

"Just go!" she shot back. And then her eyes wandered back from the Zerg over to the sniper-rifle still resting inside the gun locker. For a moment Dan wondered if he should pull the plug now and take her back to the surface, but then he just sighed and stomped over to the door that led to the cockpit. The Marshal stopped in front of the door and studied it. It wasn't locked. He grabbed the handle and pushed it open. And when he did-

"Janic-"

"GET AWAY FROM ME!" a woman suddenly screamed from the cockpit and Bowski's eyes widened in surprise and shock. Something flashed in the darkness and he managed to duck just in time before the pipe smashed into his head.

"Whoa! Stop it! It's me, Marshal Bowski!" Dan shouted and jumped back. He pointed his flashlight at the attacker and raised his other hand in order to show that he was meaning no ill intent.

"Ho! HOOOO! Janice, calm down!" he screamed when a young woman stepped out of the cockpit, a long pipe in her hand, using it as a club.

"Stay away! STAY AWAY FROM ME!" the young, dark-skinned woman screamed. Her eyes were wide open and she looked as if she was in shock.

"Janice! It's me, Marshal Bowski!" Dan barked again. "You're safe! It's okay, just put down the pipe! Everything is fine now. Just calm down!" The young woman stopped and blinked a few times.

"Ma-Marshal?" she stuttered as if she only hadn't even recognized him until now. Dan lowered his flashlight in order not to blind the young woman. Paula's weird hovering crystal produced enough light for them to see each other.

"It's okay, Janice. You're safe now. We're gonna take you back topside and then-" Dan tried to reason with her, but then she catapulted herself forward. For a second, he thought that she wanted to attack him, but then she dropped the pipe and slung her arms around his chest.

"THANK GOD!" Janice sobbed. "I was so scared! So scared! There was this light! And then that voice! And I thought...I thought that someone was making fun of me! But then it chased me and I...I..."

"Janice, stop! Wait!" Dan said. "Light? Voice? What are you talking about?" However, the crying woman was clearly in a state of shock. She looked up at him with tears in her eyes.

"There is something down here! I know it! This place...this...it...I..." Janice stuttered. Dan looked over at Paula, who didn't even seem to care about the fact that the other woman was having a meltdown right now. She was still busy staring at the dead Zergling with the broken tusk and the ancient rifle.

"Kerrigan!" Dan then barked. "Come on, let's go back topside."

"You go ahead." was her only answer, which caused Bowski to frown.

"Are you insane?" he growled. "I'm not gonna lose another person down here. You're coming with me, end of story." He could see how Paula opened her mouth. No doubt she wanted to tell him that she didn't intend to follow his orders, as usual. But then she looked at the rifle once more and she winced in discomfort. It was almost as if the mere existence of this ancient weapon caused her physical discomfort. As if it reminded her of something that she would love to forget. And then...

"You're right. Let's go." she whispered, got back up and simply walked out of the dropship without looking even back. Dan blinked a few times in surprise, not expecting this kind of behavior from her.

"Please...please, there's something down there! I want to go! I...I..." Janice hyperventilated, and the Marshal realized that all other questions had to wait. First, he had to take the young woman back topside.

"Come on. Let's get you out of here." he growled and slung his arm around the young woman that was shaking like crazy. Paula was taking point while Dan was making sure that Janice was not getting lost again. However, on their way back up she wouldn't stop saying the same thing over and over again.

"...the voices...they called for me...there's something down there!"

And while Dan knew that she probably had just imagined things...

...he couldn't help but feel worried.


	9. Chapter 9

**...**

* * *

 **Chapter 9**

 **Hearing Impaired**

* * *

„Marshal? Marshal, is that you?" Professor Allagan panted as he ran towards the three figures approaching the camp. Of course it was Dan, who else should it be? And with him was...

"Janice! Oh, thank God you're okay!" the Professor gasped when he finally reached those two. A few meters behind them was Paula. She looked unhurt, yet for some odd reason, she also seemed to be in a foul mood. However, Allagan had no time to worry about that. First he had to make sure that Janice was alright.

"Janice, how are you?" he asked the young woman. "We were all worried sick! What happened?" Other members of the research-team arrived as well, and they all were glad to see that their colleague was still in one piece. Visibly shaken, yes. But still in one piece.

"Pro-Professor, I...I..." the student stuttered, her eyes still wide open and filled with fear.

"We found her a few decks below." Bowski explained. "I'm gonna take her back to the city. Someone in the hospital should look over her, just to be certain that she's okay and-" That's when he was cut short by Janice, who jumped forward and slung her arms around the professor and started to weep like a newborn baby.

"Professor! I was so cared! Down there...there is something down there! So scared!" she sobbed and the other members of the research-team exchanged worried looks. Partially because they were worried about Janice. But also because "there's something down there!" is pretty much the last thing you want to hear if you're searching the wreckage of an ancient vessel buried deep beneath the soil.

Pretty much ninety percent of all horror-movies start that way.

"Paula!" A certain Protoss approached them and walked past the group of people. Sirella reached her friend and tilted her head to the side. "Are you okay? You look...angry."

"I'm fine." Paula growled. It didn't take a genius to know that she was lying, yet right now she wasn't the center of attention.

"I...I...I..." Janice stuttered, and Bowski spotted a campfire the researchers had managed to make without killing themselves in the process. So he did the only reasonable thing. He led the young woman over to the campfire and helped her to sit down right in front of it.

"Someone get something to drink. Something hot, preferably." the Marshal ordered. The students and researchers looked at each other as if they were unsure of what to do next. Bowski shook his head in disbelief when he noticed the indecisiveness of these people and cursed on the inside. He had almost forgotten how useless these people could be. No matter how annoying Kerrigan was, Dan had a lot more faith in her getting any job done than those men and women.

"Would anyone _please_ get her something to drink? A hot coffee? Anything?" the Marshal snarled.

"Yeah, yeah." Paula muttered and turned away. "I'm on it."

"P-Paula?" Sirella stuttered when she realized that her friend's mood was not just a bit foul, but truly annoyed. "What's the matter?"

"Nothin'. Why? Should there be anything wrong?" the young woman growled. She sure as hell wasn't very subtle. However, right now Paula wasn't the center of attention.

"Here, let's get you warmed up." Dan sighed and knelt down right next to Janice, who was still shaking like crazy. "Janice...you're safe now." She looked at him with big, brown eyes. The look on her face was one of disbelief. It was as if she couldn't really believe the Marshal.

"S-safe?" she whispered.

"Yes, safe." he repeated. "No one will hurt you." Dan's voice was surprisingly gentle and he placed his hand on her shoulder. "Janice, I want you to tell me what happened." Almost no one dared to say anything. All eyes were resting on Janice. The sight of their colleague being in utter shock was something they couldn't just ignore.

"Janice?" Professor Allagan asked and joined Bowski. "What happened?" The young woman shivered and bit on her lip. She closed her eyes and had to muster her whole strength in order to calm herself. Yet even then her hands didn't stop shaking. Whatever had happened down there, it had rocked her to the core.

A group of seasoned soldiers probably would have laughed this whole thing off. But Bowski was surrounded by students and researchers, people that had never done something like an excavation before. And seeing one of their own like this? Well, it didn't exactly inspire confidence. Dan knew when to apply pressure, and when not do. And so he decided to not push Janice any further. No one did, and so everything you could hear was the ragged breath of Janice and her whimpers. And then...

"Hey, we got some cold milk and orange-juice over here!" a certain person yelled. "Yo, Janice! I got just the thing for you!"

Bowski sighed and shook his head, yet he decided to ignore Paula for now. And, if he had anything to say in that matter, forever.

"Janice, you are safe now." Dan repeated himself. "Please, I need to know what happened." Even though he already had a good idea about what had happened. Still, it was better to hear the full story from Janice herself. Even it would be a tall order to get it out of her in the first place.

"I...I...I..." the young woman started to stutter and then new tears started to stream down her face. "I was all alone!" she suddenly sobbed and pressed her hands against her face. Dan felt how a surge of frustration worked its way through his mind. However, he knew better than to force things. Yelling at people that were in a state of shock usually never helped one bit. Neither did shaking them or slapping them in the face. That usually only worked in movies. Bad movies.

So all they could do was to give Janice time in order to-

"Hold her down, I got this!" Paula suddenly explained when she returned. The Marshal was about to ask her what she had planned, but at the same time he was too afraid to ask because he just knew that whatever she would come up with, it would be utter madness. And so Dan was glad when he noticed that she was just holding a field flask in her hand.

"Yeah, some water might be a good idea." Dan agreed. "Just take short sips, Janice, and-" That's when Paula grabbed Janice's head, bent it back and almost forced the flask down the other woman's throat.

"Down the hatch, girl!" Paula explained and didn't leave Janice much of a choice.

"Kerrigan, what the hell are you doing?!" Bowski shouted and looked at her in utter disbelief.

"Relax, I know what I'm doing!" the bane of Dan's existence replied and didn't give Janice any choice but to swallow whatever was inside that flask. The Marshal could only hope that it was water.

"Gha!" Janice gargled and her eyes widened in shock. She turned her head away and spluttered the liquid pretty much everywhere. And when Dan smelled the liquid, he realized the sad truth.

...it wasn't water.

Because water doesn't smell like anything.

However, booze does.

"Agh! It burns!" Janice squealed and grabbed her throat while making gagging sounds. The flask fell on the ground and Dan picked it up and took a sniff, which caused his eyes to water.

"Holy crap! Where did you get that booze?" he asked and looked at the flask. It looked surprisingly old and there was a name inscribed on it. Dan squinted his eyes and tried to make out what was imprinted on this thing. "Property of Rory Swann. Do not drink. Hydraulic fluid...inside?! KERRIGAN!"

"It's a joke, haha." the young woman replied. "I checked, it's booze."

"Where did you get that thing? Did you steal it from the Magistrate?" the Marshal demanded to know.

"Nope, I found it inside the dropship." And then Paula looked over at the Professor with a stupid grin on her face. "I found it first, it's mine!"

"You just gave Janice booze to drink that's over one thousand years old?!" Dan asked in disbelief, only to frown and look at the Professor. "Wait a sec, is that even possible? Shouldn't it be, I don't know, dust by now?"

"Obviously not." the Professor mumbled and pointed his finger at Janice, who was coughing her innards out. Bowski planted his hand on the poor woman's back and waited until she had calmed down a bit. Then he helped her to sit down in front of the campfire again.

"Janice, I know that this is hard." the Marshal asked with a soft tone in his voice. "But please, try to tell us what happened." Janice finally looked him into the eyes, and for the first time, Dan felt as if she was actually recognizing him.

"I...I don't know..." she whispered and Paula grinned when she heard that.

"Sounds like she needs another-" she was about to say when Bowski only glared at her. "...nevermind." the young woman mumbled and turned around. "Come on, Sirella. Let's find some people that actually appreciate what we are doing here."

"Driving them insane?" the Protoss asked but offered no resistance when Paula dragged her away. Honestly, right now Bowski couldn't care less. At least not right now. Then again, he actually never cared about what Paula Kerrigan was thinking or doing. Still, when the unlikely duo was finally gone, Dan could focus his entire attention towards Janice.

"Janice. It's okay. It's over." he told her. "Just tell us what happened. Please." The young woman stared into the fire. For whatever reason, she seemed to calm down. At least a bit. Her hands were still shaking, yet at least she was no longer hysterical. Who knew, maybe the ancient booze had helped to calm her nerves down. However, Bowski would never accept that, because that would mean that Paula had done something right. And he would rather have sex with a kriecher than do that.

"I'm a mindreader!" he could hear Paula's screams from the distance. "You do know that, right? Also, I have a pet-kriecher, so that can be arranged!" That outburst earned him a worried look from the Professor.

"What is she talking about?" Allagan wanted to know.

"Nothin'." Dan growled. Perhaps-

"I was..." Janice suddenly whispered and the Marshal turned his attention back at her.

"Yes?" he encouraged her to proceed. Janice bit on her lip, but then she took a deep breath and started to say something.

"I was...on the bridge. Cataloging relics." she mumbled. "We were about to finish for the day, everyone else was already good to go. I told them that I just had to check one more thing, that they should wait for me..." And then Janice whimpered again. "...but when I was done, everyone was...I was all alone!" She looked up at the Professor. Her gaze was filled with fear, but also something else.

Betrayal...

"You left me behind!" she accused him, something that did cause the Professor to wince.

"Janice, please, I'm so sorry! I didn't know that-" Allagan tried to defend himself. However, that was when Dan intervened.

"This is not the right moment to throw accusations at each other." he explained with a calm but firm tone in his voice. "Janice, what happened?" And so the young woman finally managed to tell her story.

"I...I tried to get back to the others." she mumbled. "But it was dark and I didn't know which way to go. There was a light, and I followed it."

"Light?" Dan asked. "What light?"

"I don't know!" she whimpered. "At first I thought it was someone with a flashlight. So I went after it! My own flashlight suddenly went out, so I had to follow the light! But it led me deeper into the derelict."

"If you knew that it was leading you further down, then why did you follow?" Dan asked.

"Because I was scared of the darkness!" Janice shouted at him. "I thought that the others had found something. I don't know, I just didn't want to be alone in this damn wreckage!"

"I'm sorry." the Marshal replied. "Please, continue." Janice seemed to be hesitating for a second, but then she gulped and lowered her gaze.

"I thought...I thought it were you guys." she told the other members of the research team. "Trying to pull a prank on me. I screamed for you to stop and wait for me so I could catch up. But you didn't. And so...so..." Janice sobbed. "...I _panicked_!" It was truly a heart-wrenching sight, one that even caused Bowski to not say something insensitive.

"How did you end up in the shuttle?" Dan asked after a while.

"I...I followed the light..." Janice whispered. "...until I reached a hangar. But then it...vanished." She shuddered as if she remembered something very unpleasant. "I was surrounded by darkness. My flashlight was no longer working and I had no idea where I was and I...I..." New tears started to stream down her cheeks and she hid her face behind her hands. Dan didn't ask her to continue, by now he had a pretty good idea on what had happened. He had to admit that the thought of being all alone inside that vessel, with no light-source whatsoever...

...that was the stuff nightmares were made of.

"Oh, Janice. I'm so sorry..." Professor Allagan mumbled and tried to comfort the young woman. At least-

"And then there was that voice!"

"Huh?" Dan looked at Janice when she said those words. "Voice?"

"It was so scary...I couldn't tell where it was coming from, but it was calling out to me..." When Bowski heard that, he frowned and crossed his arms in front of his chest. A voice? That did sound as if someone had tried to pull a prank on the young woman. A very cruel prank. For some odd reason Kerrigan came to his mind.

"A voice?" Allagan mumbled as well and looked around. "Did anyone of you hear it too?" The obvious answer was a "No." from pretty much everyone.

"It called out for her...warned me of her. She's not to be trusted...she's a bringer of death!" Janice whispered.

"Okay...that doesn't sound crazy or creepy at all." Dan mumbled.

"That voice...it wasn't human and-" Janice continued when the Marshal finally decided to pull the plug.

"Okay, show's over!" he suddenly barked so loud that everyone looked at him in surprise. "Enough ghost-stories for one day, Janice needs some rest. It's too late to bring her back to the city, we're gonna do that tomorrow. She has to rest now. Professor, please help me." The last thing Dan needed right now was a bunch of panicking egg-heads running around like headless chickens. And so he helped Janice back on her feet. Allagan did the same and helped Bowski to guide the young woman over to a nearby tent. Dan had actually no idea if it was Janice's tent, but right now he couldn't care less.

Taking the young woman back to the city would probably be the most reasonable course of action. But it was late and with the show Janice had just given them, Dan didn't want to leave the research-team behind. Paranoia was like a contagious disease. Left unchecked, he would most likely return to the base with half the team having slaughtered the other half while wearing their skins as dresses.

And yes, that does sound like the story of a cheap horror movie.

However, Bowski was not doing this out of the goodness of his heart. It was just because he didn't want to draw Magistrate Swann's ire towards himself. Not when he had finally managed to score big time with that lady. Even though he hadn't actually done anything. Nope, Kerrigan had been the one to do that. Dan groaned on the inside when he noticed that whatever he was doing, she was already lurking in the back of his mind.

Was it because she was a psionic?

Truth to be told, Dan had only ever met two psionics in his life, and both times had been forgettable. Even though being psionically gifted wasn't nearly as unusual these days as it had been one thousand years ago, it didn't mean that there were mind-readers crawling all over this place. There had been that one guy, calling himself the galaxy's world-best "pick-up artist", a fancy description for being a sexist pig. Apparently, he had used his skills to sense wherever a lady was interested in someone, and then he would sell that knowledge to the men desperate and foolish enough to pay real money for it.

The very idea was wrong on so many levels, yet apparently there was a market for everything...

The other psionic Bowski once had met had been another guy working for the psi-ops-division of the federal security service, and Dan was glad that he had only met this guy for less than a minute.

So yeah, even though Dan Bowski didn't really like psionics, he couldn't claim that he did so out of a sense of familiarity.

"This looks like a nice and cozy place to get some rest, Janice." Dan mumbled when he helped her into the tent.

"I...I want to go home...back to Korhal..." Janice whined.

"All in due time. Tomorrow we will take you back to the city. Don't worry, everything will be alright." the Marshal replied. Most members of the research team were surprised how gentle and caring Dan could be. What they didn't know was that he wasn't following his manly instincts that told him to protect a poor and weak woman (because he didn't possess those instincts), but because he had been trained to know how to handle people that were under a lot of stress or shock.

"You!" he said and pointed his finger at a female member of the research staff. "What's your name again?"

"Hagland. Victoria Hag-"

"Hags, I get it." Dan cut her short. "Could you help your colleague to get into the sleeping bag?"

"I...sure." the blonde woman muttered. Dan then left the tent and pulled the worried Professor with him. Once they were outside, the Marshal closed the tent and gestured the rest of the team to follow him. When they were a few meters away and out of Janice's earshot, he looked at the young people and noticed their worried expressions. Some of them even seemed to be truly afraid.

"I need four volunteers, preferably women." he explained. "I want you to take shifts and watch Janice while she sleeps."

"Shouldn't we..." someone whined. "...pack our things and leave?"

"Why?" Bowski asked back with a straight face.

"B-because...there's something inside that wreckage! We are not alone, that's what Janice said and-"

"Just listen to yourself!" Dan cut the young man short. "Now you're panicking, just like Janice did. What do you think is the more plausible thing that happened? Someone is hiding inside that wreckage, a wreckage that has been abandoned for centuries? Or that Janice simply panicked so hard that she was imagining things?" He sighed and shook his head. "Listen, I know that this might sound rude. But if you are alone, in the darkness, and scared..." he explained. "...you start to see and hear things. Also, packing things in the middle of the night would only result in chaos. Like said, I need four volunteers to look after Janice. I will walk the perimeter tonight and make sure that no rodent will sneak up upon you guys. Because the only thing that can harm you out here are dust-biters. So relax." Dan could see the insecurity on the faces of the students and researchers, but then one woman raised her hand.

"I...I could look after Janice." the female student offered, followed by three others.

"Good." Dan sighed. "Once Violet-"

"Victoria." someone corrected him.

"Whatever. Once she's done tucking in Janice, someone should take her place. I take it you don't need me to write down a plan for you, yes?" He smirked when he told the people that, hoping that it would ease their minds. Behind them, they could hear how Janice wept and whined "...that voice! That horrible voice..." over and over again.

"This is going to be a long night." Dan groaned.

* * *

Paula stared into the flames of her very-own campfire. She hadn't said anything since she had sat down in front of it, which was highly unusual. You might even say that it was against Paula's nature to be silent and serious.

"Uhm...Paula?" the big figure sitting right next to her in the dirt was actually worried. "Is...everything alright?"

"Just how the hell did that thing end up there?" Paula whispered to herself.

"Thing? What are you talking about?" the Protoss wanted to know.

"..."

"...Paula?"

"...did I miss something?"

"Paula, come on. This isn't funny!" Sirella whined. "Every time you act all serious, things explode! Remember the last time? You said that no one would miss that moon!"

"No one did miss that moon." Paula replied.

"It was sacred to the people that lived on the planet below!"

"Details, details." the young woman sighed. There was a long moment of silence and Sirella wondered how she could make her friend spit out the truth. It wouldn't be pretty, she was already aware of it. Secrets that Paula liked to keep usually had the bad habit of causing utter carnage and destruction.

...and cause moons to explode from time to time.

"...it was his dropship." Paula suddenly whispered.

"What?"

"Dad's dropship. It was there. It _is_ there. Down there. Inside the Hyperion." Paula explained.

"And that is...a problem?" Sirella asked.

"It's...unexpected." her friend mumbled.

"Okay, I know I will most likely regret asking this...but why is it unexpected?" Instead of answering that question, Paula merely stared into the flames. You could actually see how her jaw was working while she was grinding her teeth. Sirella was no expert on human emotions, but she was pretty certain that her friend was frustrated.

"I checked every detail before coming here, Sirella..." Paula then said after a while. "...made sure of it. But that thing...it shouldn't be there. It just looked...wrong."

"The dropship looked wrong? Was it broken?" Sirella asked and only then Paula blinked and looked at her friend.

"What? Dropship? No." she replied. "That thing being inside the Hyperion was unexpected. No, there was something else inside that dropship." And the next thing she said caused her to shiver. "Something that's just wrong..."

"Uhm..." Sirella didn't know what to say or do. From time to time Paula would get all mysterious for no apparent reason. It seemed that this was another one of these moments.

"It was her weapon." the young woman suddenly explained.

"Her weapon? Who's weapon? What are you-"

"My mother's rifle." Paula suddenly declared. "It's down there."

"Your mother's rifle?" Sirella asked and Paula nodded with an almost painful expression on her face.

"Yeah...she never told you that, right? Used to be one hell of a sniper. Maybe even the best ever. It's..." However, that's when Paula's voice failed her. It was a strange sight, one that Sirella had rarely seen. Her friend Paula was many things. But brooding and subtle wasn't among them. Seeing her like this was...weird. Just when Sirella wanted to ask if Paula was alright, her friend took a deep breath and started talking.

"It's weird, you know." the young woman whispered. "I saw that part of her life. Of _their_ lives. All that pain, all that loss. I went there in order to see it with my own two eyes. But seeing that rifle..." She closed her eyes and seemed to shudder as if she was experiencing an unpleasant memory. "It's simply hard to comprehend."

"I think I understand." Sirella mused, which earned her a surprised and amused look from her friend.

"Really, now? Do you?" Paula teased her friend.

"Believe it or not." Sirella chirped. "You're not the only one with legendary relatives." And then she looked up at the stars. "Grandfather would always tell stories about the "great betrayer" and how she saved all of us. Oh, how he loved to tell those stories to me when I was little. Honestly? I had nightmares as a child, dreaming of _her_ coming for me. But when I met her for the first time, I couldn't believe that your mother and that person from Grandfather's stories are supposed to be one and the same."

"I guess you're right." Paula mused and both women fell silent for a while. Until...

"You know what's funny?" the young woman asked, not waiting for her friend to actually ask back. "When I looked at that rifle, I didn't even consider taking it with me. You know, as a souvenir. I just knew that she wouldn't appreciate it."

"Maybe your aunt would appreciate it." Sirella mused. "She is always looking for stuff that belonged to your mother."

"Meh, only if it's related to Zerg I'm afraid." Paula replied. That's when a smile appeared on her face. "The Marshal actually wonders if I came here to hunt for some souvenirs. Thehehe..."

"Well, you could say that we are here to get a souvenir." her friend replied.

"No, we are here to set things right. Big difference." the young woman explained and looked at the stars. "Seeing that rifle...it's so weird. It just feels wrong. Like the echo of a scream that haunts you in your dreams."

"What do you mean?" Sirella asked with a confused tone in her voice. Paula licked her lips and it seemed as if she had a hard time finding the right words to describe what she was feeling.

"It's just...I never told my parents, but the things I saw during my trip...they scared me." Paula whispered.

"How your family was back then?" the young Protoss wanted to know. She could relate...somewhat. Being the grandchildren of a living legend had been _interesting_. Sirella's grandfather was none other than Artanis. It was a name that was revered. The former Hierarch of the Protoss that had led them through their darkest hour was on the same level as the legendary Adun. Maybe even more than that. And while the Protoss didn't put the same importance on names and family as humans did, being the grandchild of Artanis could be considered a burden at times. So yeah, Sirella could relate to Paula, at least a bit.

"No, not my family." Paula replied. "The world they were living in." And then she sucked the air into her lungs before continuing. "When I started my journey, I went to Ulnar. It's where my mother went when she returned from the Void. It was painful to watch, seeing her dealing with her inner demons. I saw all sorts of nasty things. But at the same time, I knew it were just memories. However, the longer I stayed, the more pain I saw. Real pain, inflicted by real people. And for the most ridiculous reasons." She closed her eyes and seemed to think of some more unpleasant memories until she continued.

"There was this guy...a real asshole. His name was...Jupiter? Jispi? Jespa? Dunno anymore." Paula mused. "He hurt a lot of people, simply because he was angry at..." A sad chuckle escaped her lips. "...I don't even know why he was so angry. It was as if he just had to find someone he could blame for all the injustice in the world." There was another awkward moment of silence and then Paula added: "Killing back then seemed so easy. Everybody was doing it. And those who tried to oppose that way of life were called idiots and daydreamer." While Sirella enjoyed listening to this more somber version of her friend...

...she had virtually no idea what Paula was trying to tell her.

"Paula? What is this all about?" the young Protoss asked. She didn't want to listen to yet another monologue without knowing what it was about. Mostly because that was one of her grandfather's favorite things to do.

How the hell was she supposed to know that it was such a great feat of defeating a baneling in unarmed combat without being dissolved by its acid?

Like, just what was a baneling anyway?!

Fortunately, Paule seemed to realize Sirella's predicament and sighed.

"Sorry. I was ranting, wasn't I?" the young woman mumbled and flashed her friend a smile. "The rifle...it reminded me of what I saw when I was on that journey. But more importantly...I can't help but wonder how I would have turned out if I had been born back then. If I would have been forced to walk down a path like my mother was made to." The smile on Paula's face turned sad. "Think about it, Sirella. You probably wouldn't have gotten the choice to become an artist. Someone would have decided what you should do with your life for you. Maybe you would have become a Templar-"

"Oh, me a Templar?" Sirella laughed. "That's a good one. I would have been the worst Templar of all times."

"You don't know that." Paula mused. "You could have been the second Selendis." Mentioning Sirella's grandmother caused the young Protoss to laugh again, only this time there was an almost hysterical tone to her voice.

"Ha! Oh no. Trust me, that wouldn't have worked. I actually once asked my grandfather's opinion wherever I could have been a good Templar."

"And his answer?" Paula asked with a sympathetic tone in her voice.

"Well, after laughing for almost an entire hour..." Sirella mumbled. "...he just said "No" and left the room."

"Ouch." Paula muttered. "Sorry to hear that. Though I have to admit, it's hard to imagine that the great Artanis can laugh."

"It's creepy." her friend confirmed. "It now haunts me in my dreams."

"Hear hear." the young woman sighed. "Still...just think about it, Sirella...if we had been born back then, we probably would have tried to kill each other and-"

"You would probably have succeeded." the Protoss mumbled.

"...then what? What was the point of all that violence, of all that death? What did they achieve? It's just..." However, Paula wouldn't finish that sentence. She didn't have to. While Sirella knew some details about that journey, she hadn't bothered to ask for any details. Her life was complicated enough as it was.

And yet-

"Are you two al-" a new voice suddenly startled them.

"AAAAAAAHHHHHMARSHAL!" both women screamed at the same time and jumped on their feet. Behind them, Bowski just sighed and rubbed his temples.

"You can drop the act now." Dan growled. "You are a psionic." he said and looked at Paula before turning his attention towards Sirella. "And you are a Protoss. You probably noticed me long before I got here." Paula and Sirella exchanged looks and nodded at the same time. They both knew better than to tell him that just because you have psionics, doesn't mean that you know everything in an instant. It's just an additional sense. But even if you have working eyes, you sometimes can't see what's right in front of you.

Or, to put it simply: If you don't pay any attention to your surroundings, then psionics don't help at all.

"Are you two doing alright?" Bowski wanted to know. "Just want you to know that I'm gonna take Janice back to the city tomorrow. I would appreciate it if you wouldn't do anything crazy until then."

"Understood." Sirella replied, which caused Dan to shake his head.

"I don't mean you. I mean Kerrigan."

"Meh..." was Paula's only answer.

"Charming as ever I see." the Marshal growled. "I'll be walking the perimeter tonight. If you're done hanging out by your own private campfire, then head back to the basecamp, so everyone is in one place. Oh, and Kerrigan: No late-night-adventures inside abandoned battlecruisers. Am I understood."

"...ot...y...ad..." the young woman whispered.

"What was that?"

"You're not my dad!" she said, which caused the Marshal to shake his head.

"You have no idea how glad I'm to hear that." Dan mused and was about to turn away when suddenly-

"How is she?" Paula suddenly asked.

"What?"

"Julia. How is she?"

"Her name is _Janice_ , not Julia." Dan corrected her. "And she's...not fine. But unhurt. Still, I will take her back to the city tomorrow, just to be certain that there's nothing serious."

"She's fine." Paula simply said.

"Oh, really?" Bowski shot back. "Didn't you just ask me how she is?"

"There's nothing down there that wants to injure her. You can trust me with that. I would have never allowed this to happen if _he_ might have hurt her." she told the Marshal.

"He? Just what the hell are you talking about?" When Paula heard the frustration in Dan's voice, she just sighed.

"Nevermind. Just...walk the perimeter. Whatever. I promise that we will behave." she declared.

"Hmpf...I believe it once I see it." Dan growled and turned around. As he stomped away, Sirella couldn't hide her uneasiness.

"He seems to be in a foul mood." she mumbled.

"He's just angry because he's starting to take his job seriously and care for the others, yet doesn't want to admit it to anyone, including himself." Paula explained. "Also, he feels uneasy because he now knows that I have psionics and doesn't know what to make of it. It's actually really funny. It's like he expects me to grow a second head. For such a bag of non-fun, he sure has a lively imagination."

"It can't be weirder than the reality." Sirella mumbled. "Still, I wonder how he would react if he would meet the mighty _Queen of Grapes_."

"Hehehe..." Paula chuckled when she heard that. "...too bad it isn't Halloween. Also, my aunt will kill me if I do that again. She hates it if someone makes fun of the Queen of Blades."

"Does the Marshal..." Sirella probed.

"...know why we are here?" Paula guessed. "No. He actually assumes that I'm just a real weirdo-"

"Which you are." her friend mused.

"...and that I might indeed have come here to loot this place." Paula then looked up at the stars again and sighed. "Eh, I guess I should have come here on my own after all. The others just cause so much trouble. Why the heck did that Jojo-"

"Janice." Sirella corrected her.

"...whatever. Why the hell did she have to get lost? Now they're all scared because of that."

"Speaking of which..." the Protoss mumbled. "...I get it why you dragged me out here. But why did you put up with all of that trouble? You know, meeting the Professor, convincing him to put together a research team. You usually don't like to travel with heavy luggage."

"I travel with you, do I not?" Paule teased her friend.

"I'm serious, Paula." Sirella replied. "Just for once, please, give me a straight answer." And when Paula heard the serious tone in her friend's voice, she sighed and relented.

"Okay, okay. It's just...if I hadn't done that, if I had come here alone, or just with you, then Mum and Dad would have gotten suspicious. I once said that I wanted to find remnants of the places that I saw during my journey. Mum and Dad thought that I just wanted to run havoc inside the Imperial Palace on Korhal and flush all the toilets at the same time, which I did...oh, by the way, the result was spectacular! Have you heard about the great flood of-"

"Don't change the subject."

"Egh. Fine. Now you sound like Tesson." Paula growled. "Anyway, I also wanted to see other places. Places that had been important. I once mentioned that I wanted to see Zerus. And Char. My aunt was ecstatic and wanted to know if I needed a new senior advisor. Mum was...less than pleased when she heard that."

"Because...?" Sirella asked, to which Paula only shrugged her shoulders.

"Dunno. Didn't ask. I just assume that they don't want me to do something stupid and end up inside the belly of some beast. Which I can understand. I mean, they are my parents. They are worried. And I love them for that. But..."

"But?"

"...eh..." Paula sighed. "...there are parts of this galaxy they don't want me to see because they are afraid that I might get hurt. But there are also parts of this galaxy that they don't want me to see because..." And then she took a deep breath. "...because _they_ got hurt in those places." When Sirella heard that, her eyes widened.

"Oh...like Tarsonis?" She noticed how Paula clenched her jaw and bit on her lips. The young woman didn't say anything for quite some time until she finally nodded.

"Yeah, like Tarsonis." she whispered. "Mum never forbade me to go somewhere. She never yelled at me. But when I told her that I wanted to go and see Tarsonis, she actually yelled at me that she wouldn't allow it."

"Your mother...yelled?" Sirella wondered. "I don't think I can even imagine that. I never saw her yelling."

"Yeah, well, I never talked with her about that topic again. Even now, even after all those years...Tarsonis is still an open wound. To her and Dad." Paule then sucked in some cold air and shuddered. "That's why I didn't tell them that I wanted to come here and find the Hyperion. There are things they want to remain buried in the past. I can understand why they don't want to deal with that stuff anymore. Really, I do. But this is my life, and I can do whatever I want with it. Including doing the right thing."

"Hmm...I see." Sirella whispered. Both women stared at the night sky for a while until Paula yawned and got back on her feet.

"Well, enough senseless talking and sulking. I guess we should step up our game." When Sirella heard that, she looked up at her friend and blinked in confusion.

"Wait, what?"

"I'm gonna head down into the Hyperion and try to find for what we came for." Paula explained.

"B-but the Marshal...he just told us to stay put! Not even five minutes ago!" the Protoss reminded her friend.

"I know." the young woman simply replied.

"Oh, please no!" Sirella whined. "Paula, can't we just play by the rules for one time?"

"Sorry, big girl, but following rules just ain't my style. Don't worry, once I find that darn thing, we can go back home. But I won't leave without it. Nope! Not a chance." And then she simply snipped with her finger and the campfire went out immediately. "Come on, there's someone down there waiting for us. Two, actually. I think we let them wait for long enough." Sirella sighed when she heard that, but eventually she got back up as well and brushed the dust off her thighs.

"I'm so going to regret this, aren't I?"

"Hey, what's the worst that can happen?" Paula wanted to know.

"You will blow something up." Sirella offered.

"Aw, quit'yer whining!" the young woman shot back. "Remember why we came here. You wanted to do this as much as I did. Your grandfather will be proud of you. Trust me." And as Paula head out, Sirella was left with no real choice but to follow her friend.

"You're going to love it, Sirella!" the young Protoss repeated the words Paula had used to lure her to this place. "It will be a quick one, just grab it and we'll be on our way before you know it!"

"Who said that?" Paula wanted to know and looked over her shoulder.

"You did!" Sirella whined. "When you dragged me out here!"

"Huh...funny. Can't seem to remember that part." the young woman mused. "Anyway, let's get serious! And remember why we came here in the first place." Paula then flashed her friend a cocky smile.

"It's time to bring Zeratul back home."


	10. Chapter 10

**So here's the next chapter. Sorry for the delay, but right now I'm kinda busy with all sorts of stuff, none of which are things I enjoy doing. Oh well, I guess it's only natural that you have to slow down eventually. Meh...**

 **Anyway, thanks go to bjlu9000 for beta-reading this chapter.**

* * *

 **Chapter 10**

 _ **AND AAAAAA-IIIAAAAAAIII...**_

* * *

''Left? Or right? Hmm..." the young woman mused as she stood in the middle of the corridor and wondered which way she should go next.

"You said you knew where to go. You said that we just had to grab the darn thing and then be gone. You said-" the huge Protoss behind her whined.

"I say a lot of things." Paula replied. "Usually no one listens to me anyway, so the joke's on you."

"I hate you!" Sirella whispered.

"What was that?"

"Nothing!"

Seriously, Sirella should have known that it wouldn't be that simple. As long as Paula was involved, _nothing_ was ever simple. It was as if her friend felt a diabolical glee whenever she could turn other people's lives into a living hell.

She probably got that from her uncle...

"Left it is!" Paula suddenly declared, only to walk down the right corridor.

Yep, she definitely got that from her uncle.

"Perhaps we should have waited until the Marshal is gone. He wants to take Janice back to the city, right? It would have been easier to come down here without him being still around." Sirella mumbled.

"Uh, someone's scared that the big bad Marshal will be angry!" Paula chuckled. "Eh', don't sweat it. Some people just need to be kept busy all the time. Don't worry, he will be angry at me anyway, not you. And you know that I don't care about people being angry at me."

"Except for your parents." Sirella mumbled.

"Yeah, well, except for them."

"And your aunt."

"Yep, except for her too." Paula replied and gritted her teeth.

"And your uncles."

"Yes, Sirella, I get it."

"And your master."

"Uhhhh..."

"And my grandfa-"

"Yes! I get it! Thank you! Let me rephrase: I don't care if the Marshal is angry at me. How about we leave it at that, yes?" Case closed.

"You know..." Sirella mumbled after a while. "...I still don't get why this thing is still in such good shape. I mean, how long has it been buried down here? Must have been ages, yet it's still in a surprisingly good shape."

"Well, someone's taking good care of this baby." Paula explained as if she actually knew what she was talking about. "Or should I say..." She then stopped and looked over her shoulder. "... _something_ took good care? Uhhhhh..." Sirella looked at her friend and didn't say anything, which resulted in a long and awkward moment of silence.

"Say what?" the Protoss asked after a while, only to notice the frustration on Paula's face.

"It's supposed to be scary! This is where you are supposed to squeal in distress because there is a monster down here!" the young woman groaned.

"You don't have to insult yourself, you know." Sirella mused.

"Oh, harr harr. Look who's trying to be funny!" her friend shot back. They reached an elevator whose doors were open. There was no cabin, so all that was lurking on the other side was a dark and bottomless pit. Paula continued bickering when they walked past the elevator shaft, and neither she nor Sirella paid any attention to it. Until...

"You know, you acted like a true coward when we first got here." Paula mused. "And now suddenly you aren't even flinching when I'm-" That's when suddenly a gargled voice echoed through the empty husk of the battlecruiser.

"Kerrrrrigaaaaan..."

When Sirella heard that, she froze in an instant and Paula stopped as well.

"That's not funny, Paula!" the young Protoss whined. Well, look who had just tried to act all serious.

"...she's a destroyer..." the voice gargled. "...returned to claim what is not hers anymore..."

"Paula! Dammit, stop that!" Sirella squealed, but her friend only sighed.

"That ain't me, Sirella. I swear." She appeared to be way too calm.

"Then who is it, huh?" the Protoss demanded to know and her friend pointed with her finger at the elevator shaft right behind them. Sirella turned around and when she noticed how something pushed itself through the open door, she screamed in horror.

"What is that? WHAT IS THAT?!" the huge Protoss howled and hid behind her smaller friend.

"One of the locals." Paula explained as if it was this was the most normal thing in the world to happen to them. What emerged from the elevator shaft had no shape or form, it resembled something akin to a tentacle.

"...Kerrigan..." an unworldly voice gargled. It sounded as if it was coming from everywhere at the same time. Quite unnerving, really.

"Oh no! Oh, please! This isn't real!" the Protoss whined, yet Paula just groaned and walked over to the tentacle slithering towards them. It was utterly hideous and Sirella was glad that she had no mouth or stomach, or she would have puked.

"Paula! Don't go! This thing might be dangerous and-" But before Sirella could finish her sentence, Paula raised her feet and brought it crushing down on the tip of the tentacle. The creature, whatever it was, howled in pain and the slimy appendage slithered back to where it came from. It vanished inside the dark and empty elevator shaft. Paula followed it, only to push her head through the door and yell something.

"YOU WAITED FOREVER DOWN HERE!" she screamed. "YOU CAN WAIT A COUPLE MORE DAYS! DON'T WORRY, I'LL GET TO YOU EVENTUALLY!" And then she snipped with her finger and the heavy elevator door slammed shut. And then...

…

…

…

"WHAT IN THE NAME OF TASSADAR WAS THAT?!" Sirella screamed in terror.

"Like I said: One of the locals. Don't worry, he's harmless." Paula explained, only to add a "I think."

"That's...that's not an explanation!" her friend whined, visibly shaken. "Paula, dammit! What is that thing! And why does it know you?!"

"He doesn't know me, he's just confused. That's all." Paula said as if it was the most normal thing in the world.

"He?" Sirella stuttered.

"You'll see soon enough. Don't worry, he's harmless...ish." Oh, that sure as hell helped to inspire confidence.

"So Janice was right about those voices..." the Protoss gasped.

"Ironic, isn't it?" Paula mused before turning away from the elevator shaft and moving on as if nothing unusual had just happened. "But you know what's really funny? That Dan's explanation for this whole mess sounds a lot more reasonable than what's really going on inside of this thing. Then again, the truth would probably blow everyone's collective mind."

"I wonder why's that." Sirella whispered, only to stop and frown when she realized something. "Wait...Dan? You call the Marshal by his first name?"

"Yeah, why not? Humans have more than one name, not everyone is so poor that they can only afford one name, like Protoss."

"That's not the reason why I have only one name!" Sirella protested. "Also, we Protoss don't believe in capitalism."

"That's something only poor people say." Paula replied.

"Your cultural insensitivity never ceases to amaze me..." her friend mumbled. "...and you claim that you are fascinated by Protoss." However, Paula was no longer listening. She was heading forward, looking for a certain room. If they were fast enough, Bowski wouldn't even notice that they were gone. Not that it mattered. Perhaps this whole gig had been a bad idea after all. Maybe Paula should have asked for some more help. Maybe her former master would have loved to help her. Tesson would never admit it, but he was always worried sick whenever his little fireball would head out there in order to cause some chaos.

But, alas, she had decided to drag Sirella with her. Too bad. For both of them.

It took them a while until they finally reached another door. By now Sirella had no idea which deck they were on. She had stopped counting after number thirteen.

"So..." the Protoss mumbled after a while. "...once we get what you came here for, we can leave?"

"Is that a request?" Paula wanted to know.

"If you ask me directly, then...yes. I would like to leave."

"No sense of adventure? Don't you want to know what that thing was right now? A mysterious tentacle calling your name?" the young woman asked as if that thing hadn't been scary at all.

"No." Sirella replied. "And it only called your name. A fair warning: If this thing tries to eat your face, I'm not going to help you."

"Thanks, Sirella, that warms my heart." That's when Paula suddenly stopped and looked at a closed door. "This is it. Guess your prayers are coming true. Once we have Zeratul, we can head home." She pressed the button right next to the door, which sprung open while producing a sickening sound of screeching metal. Both Paula and Sirella winced when they heard that sound.

"Ugh..." Paula groaned. "Sounds like the scream of the damned! Someone forgot to oil this thing." It didn't stop her from stepping through the door and into the darkness. The small glowing crystal that was accompanying her followed her inside. So did Sirella, after cursing herself once more for having ventured to this place with Paula in the first place.

"What is this place?" the Protoss whined. Whatever this place was, it was big. So big that even the light of the small crystal couldn't illuminate it all.

"This is the lab." Paula explained. "This is where they stored the good stuff. Don't worry, Zeratul should be here. Just where is that damn light-switch. Ah, here it..." Suddenly the lights were turned on and you could actually hear Paula's confusion when she looked around. "...is?"

"For a lab..." Sirella mused. "...this looks a lot like a bar."

"Aw, crap..." was all Paula could reply when suddenly...

* * *

...Sarah didn't have to knock in order to know that Raynor was on the other side of the door. She could sense his presence. And it wasn't just him. There were a bunch of people, and all of them seemed to be...happy?

The Ghost stopped in front of the door and a frown appeared on her face. The people on the other side of the door were indeed happy. That alone wasn't something unusual. Both she and Raynor had just returned from a mission. And so had many other soldiers. It was only natural for people to be happy and relieved to return in one piece after an intense battle. However, what Sarah felt wasn't just happiness or relief. It was closer to merriment. Now, Sarah wasn't exactly good with emotions, but that only applied to her own. Still, sensing this sort of joy was unexpected. And if there's one thing a trained sniper and assassin hates, then it's to walk into a situation that they know nothing about.

Usually Sarah didn't like to scan other people's minds. The things you see are usually the things that you don't want to know anything about. But right now, she pushed her personal reservations aside and reached out with her senses in order to get a clear picture on what was going on at the other side of that door. And what she sensed was...

" _Oh, this is gonna be awesome!"_

" _I never thought Mengsk would allow this."_

" _That looks so utterly stupid, I love it."_

" _This is exactly what this ship needed."_

 _"Man, the Marshal sure knows how to have a good time."_

" _I just hope that no one will rip us a new one for that."_

The voices of men and women echoed through Sarah's mind. Yet in the end it caused just more confusion. Just what the hell were they doing? The frown on her face showed signs of frustration. Even though she didn't want to, she decided to search for one specific mind. It wasn't hard to find him, James Raynor's brain was like a bag full of cats. All she had to do was to search for the twirl of emotions and random thoughts that were more chaotic than, well, something that is very chaotic. And when she did...

" _Lalala, some color here, some chairs there, a table and some good music. Oh yeah, I should charge money for people to hang out here! I don't want to brag or anything, but damn: I'm a genius!"_ Jim's thoughts echoed through Sarah's mind. A frustrated sigh escaped her lips when she noticed that he was producing most of the childlike glee that she had sensed earlier. This man was unlike any man she had ever met before. Their first meeting had been... _interesting_. To say the least. But, over the course of the last few weeks, Raynor had proven himself to be a reliable asset. And that was something that Sarah appreciated. Especially since he had never shown any signs of wanting to betray her or something like that.

Pretty much every person she knew tried to either stay away from her, or thought about how to get rid of her. A part of Sarah couldn't blame them. There was a reason why ghosts were feared and loathed, and she was pretty much the undisputed alpha among the ghosts. However, while she could understand their caution, it also caused her nothing but trouble. Every time Sarah was forced to work with someone, she had to make sure that they weren't thinking about double crossing her. It had happened before. Several times actually. Some had followed orders, others had been driven by fears. And a few spectacular stupid ones had thought that ending a ghost would earn them the praise of their comrades and superiors.

Let's just say that killing those people wasn't much of a burden on Sarah's consciousness.

There was only one person that accepted her the way she was. And that was Arcturus Mengsk, the man that had saved her from the clutches of the Confederacy. Whenever she was alone with him, she could drop her defenses and relax. It was precious moments where she didn't have to be careful and afraid of someone trying to betray her. At least that's how it used to be.

Because now there was another man who made her feel as if she could just relax and lower her defenses.

And that man was James Raynor, who was...

" _Better get this done soon, I think I need to poop."_

...nevermind.

Sarah shuddered when she heard the one thought that caused her to curse her abilities. She was about to press the button right next to the door, but then she hesitated. People. There were so many people on the other side of the door. She didn't like people. Most of them were shallow and arrogant. They feared what they didn't understand, yet they showed no interest in learning things in order to overcome those fears. Perhaps she should wait. Perhaps there would be a better time to tell him what she wanted to tell him. However, she also knew that she was just stalling because of her own personal feelings. Yes, she didn't like people. But not all of them. Besides, all she wanted to do was to thank him. Nothing more. Since they had already established the foundation of their relationship, Sarah was certain that he wouldn't mistake her gesture for the attempt to start a romantic relationship.

God, that thought alone caused Sarah to shake her head.

She had never truly considered a romantic relationship. But if she would have, James Raynor wouldn't be on the list of people that she considered interesting. That man, while honest and reliable, was simply too frustrating. The very thought that they could be more than comrades was utterly ridiculous.

So why was she stalling? She could tolerate people for a while. And she knew that she wasn't interested in Raynor. Yet why did she have to force herself to face him?

"This is ridiculous. Head in the game, girl!" she snarled at herself and pressed the button. The door to the empty storage-room opened and she stepped inside. And when she looked around...

"You gotta be kidding me!" Sarah Kerrigan gasped.

"Hey! HEY!" Raynor barked at a group of mechanics. "That thing goes over there! Next to the bar!" The bar? Yes, the bar. Sarah watched in disbelief how Raynor stood on a table while directing people around. They were busy putting other tables, chairs and whatnot everywhere. Someone was even busy installing a huge screen on the wall. This place looked like a mess, yet you could already see what it was supposed to be. James Raynor had taken an empty-storage room on board of Mengsk's flagship that was designed to hold armor-piercing ammunition...

...and had turned into a goddamn bar.

"Be careful with that!" Jim shouted. Four men were busy carrying something big that was covered with a blanket. It reminded Sarah of a fridge.

"This thing is heavy, boss!" one of the men moaned. "We could have used a goddamn power armor for this!"

"Nu-uh!" Jim shot back. "That thing is delicate. I won't have anyone throw it around like a brick! Oh no!" That statement earned him a groan from the men, who clearly just wanted to toss that heavy thing into a corner and be done with it.

All Sarah could do was to stare at the scene right in front of her with a dumbfounded expression on her face. Sure, it made sense for a guy like Raynor to hang out in a bar. But there was a difference in finding a bar...

...or building one yourself.

This man clearly had to get his priorities checked.

"Hey there, watch it, Missy!" someone suddenly barked right behind Sarah. She cursed herself for not noticing someone approaching her like that and stepped aside. A bulky guy carrying a huge crate walked past her. The sound of glass hitting glass reminded her of a chime. Sarah wondered what was inside that crate and-

"Yo, Marshal! Where do you want the booze?" the man shouted.

The booze. Of course.

"Over there, put it behind the bar. We deal with that later, once everything's done." Raynor yelled back. "Oh, and I ain't no marshal no more. So stop calling me like that."

"Sure thing, Marshal!" the guy replied, which caused Raynor to sigh. Clearly, he was busy right now. Well, coming here had been a bad idea anyway. Sarah realized that she should just turn around and leave. Even she would act normal, then-

"Yo, Kerrigan!" Raynor's voice echoed through the bar and all the heads turned around. When Sarah felt the gazes of everyone and their grandmother resting on her, she could feel how her index-finger started to twitch. Good thing that she wasn't carrying her sniper-rifle right now. People staring at her always made her so nervous. Sarah could feel how the mood inside the room changed the moment they recognized her.

" _It's her..."_

" _Damn it, what does she want here?"_

" _Great, now we're screwed."_

" _The way she looks...I wonder if she knows what I'm thinking right now."_

" _Pretty face for such a killer."_

" _Damn freak..."_

By now Sarah was used to that. She couldn't even blame these people. To them, she was probably just as much of an alien than those Zerg or Protoss that had attacked their homes only recently. Maybe even more so, since she _looked_ human, but was so much more on the inside. Sarah was about to turn around when.

"Sarah, wazzup? Come here, you're just in time!" Raynor yelled.

" _Hope she didn't hear me thinking that I need to poop."_ Raynor thought.

"Ugh..." Sarah sighed.

Yeah, there was no way that she and that guy would ever be anything than comrades.

The ghost truly considered to just leave, but as she watched Raynor standing on that table, waving with his hand like a three-year-old, she dropped her shoulders in defeat and slumped towards the man. The other people tried to stay away from her, which suited her just fine. All she wanted to do was to tell Raynor something, and then she would be gone. The former Marshal climbed down from the table and grinned like an idiot when Sarah finally reached him.

"And?" he asked.

"And what?"

"How do you like it?" Raynor wanted to know.

"Like what?" That question earned Sarah an annoyed sigh from Raynor. He knew exactly that she knew what he was talking about. You know, being psionically gifted and all.

"The bar, Sarah. How do you like it?"

Sarah...

Oh boy. She really wished he would stop calling her by her first name. It just made her feel...uneasy.

"It's..." Sarah looked around and tried to be as nice as possible. "...a dump."

Well, no one could accuse her of being a liar.

"Yeah, well, that much is true." Jim admitted. "We still have to hook up the TV. And we don't have any glasses yet, so I can only offer you a bottle of beer and-"

"We ain't got beer yet, only booze!" someone yelled from the other side of the "bar".

"...well, I can offer you a bottle of booze." Raynor sighed.

"Thanks, but I think I'll pass." Sarah replied with a dry tone in her voice. She crossed her arms in front of her chest and bit on her lip. "I haven't come here to hang out with you guys anyway, I just wanted to tell you something, Raynor."

"Hehehe, Raynor? Aw, come on! Call me Jim! You did so during the last mission." When Sarah heard that, she could feel how her frustrations started to spike. This man simply always had to do everything his way. My way or the highway.

"Fine..." Sarah growled. "...Jim." The moment she used his first name, a goofy grin appeared on his face and she immediately regretted listening to his request. "Listen, I don't want to waste your time here. I just wanted to tell you that..." She took a deep breath and looked away. "...you handled yourself well during the mission on Ramelow."

"Huh?" Jim just muttered a bit perplexed. "Wait...was that just a compliment?"

"Don't get used to it." Sarah said without missing a heartbeat. "It's just..." She then turned her head away in order to not look Raynor...Jim into the eyes.

"It's just?" the former Marshal asked. "Just what?"

God, why was this man so frustrating? Even though he wasn't even trying to tease her, Sarah still felt as if he was making fun of her attempt to be more civil towards him. Couldn't he just appreciate the fact that she was talking more than three words with him?

Apparently not.

"I'm...just not used to have someone watch my back. Someone who isn't hellbent on, well..." Sarah muttered.

"Trying to get in your pants?" Jim suggested. Sarah's eyes shot back and she stared at him in anger, but then she noticed his embarrassed smile and she realized what he was talking about. That idiot was still feeling sorry for what had happened during their first meeting.

Cute, really.

"I was about to say: Leaving me behind in order to fend for myself." Sarah then replied. "Believe it or not: There aren't that many people that want to get into my pants."

"Eh, I find that hard to believe." Jim mused. "Given how pretty you are and everything. Uhm...not that I want to imply that...egh, I better shut up now." Those words actually caused Sarah to snicker.

"Oh boy, you really do suck when it comes to compliments." she told him and Jim shrugged his shoulders. Now he was turning his head away so she couldn't see the embarrassment on his face.

"Yeah, well, what can I say? I get nervous around beautiful and strong women." he mumbled. That comment actually caught Sarah by surprise and she didn't really know what to say. It was a pretty simple compliment, yes. But at the same time Sarah could sense that Jim was telling her nothing but the truth. It was...perplexing.

Usually people would call her a freak. If not behind her back, then at least inside the safety of their own minds. However, Jim's mind was free of such thoughts.

There was a long and awkward moment of silence when neither one of them knew what to say or to do next. Sarah lowered her gaze and her fingers started to pull at her ghost-suit. Even when she was off-duty, she still preferred to wear this thing. Not just because it meant that she was always combat ready. But the suit also intimidated others who otherwise might get the wrong idea. Everyone that looked at her knew immediately what she was.

Well, as long as they knew what a ghost was, that is.

"Well..." Sarah mumbled.

"Yeah..." Jim agreed, even though he had no idea what she was trying to tell him.

"Anyway, I wanted to thank you for...being a good comrade." The moment those words left Sarah's mouth, a surprised look appeared on Jim's face. It was definitely surprising, but there was something else. Sadness? It was hard to tell, yet Sarah didn't feel like probing his mind again. She had started to respect that man, she didn't want to ruin that by giving in into her distrust of human beings in general.

"Comrade, eh? Heh...guess I take that." Jim replied. "Thanks. Should you ever need someone to watch your back, just give me a call. I'll be there." Sarah opened her mouth, ready to say something when suddenly-

"Watch it!" someone yelled and that's when something heavy landed on the floor. Jim turned around and groaned when he noticed that it was the huge object the other men had been carrying towards the bar.

"Gawddammit!" he cursed. "I told you to be careful! That thing is an antique!" He stomped over to the guys and the object that was still covered by a blanket. This was the perfect opportunity to leave, Sarah knew that. She had told Jim what she had wanted to tell him, there was no reason to stick around anymore. Especially since all the other people seemed to be less than thrilled to have her around. However...

"Seriously, if you guys broke this thing, then I'm gonna break you!" Jim growled and pushed one of the men aside.

"First you tell us to carry that thing over there, then over there, and now to the bar. In case you didn't notice: we are not moving guys." the man protested.

"Don't complain, I wanted to know from where the sound would be the best." Jim shot back and knelt down beside the huge object. "Ah, damn. Hey, baby. Did those bad men hurt you?" Against better judgment, Sarah decided to sate her curiosity and stepped closer. She looked over Jim's shoulder and frowned. Just what the hell was that thing?

"Well, at least help me to get this thing back on its feet." Jim protested when the men turned away.

"Bah, forget it! My back's killing me. No music is worth that much trouble." another man growled and they stomped away.

"Man, aren't they a bag of fun?" Jim whispered to himself before sighing and looking up. "I know it's not nice to ask a lady for help...but could you lend me a hand, please?"

"I'm not going to carry that thing around." Sarah replied.

"You don't have to. I just want to get it back on its feet. This place is as good as any." he told her. Sarah knew that she should just reject his offer. She should just turn around and leave. She had told him what he needed to know. There was no need for her to become any more familiar with this man. The professional relationship between them was serving its purpose, there was no need to become acquainted.

Yet...

"Men." Sarah sighed. "If you want something done right, leave it to a woman." She knelt down right next to Jim and helped him to push the heavy object back on its feet.

"Amen to that!" Jim replied with a strained smile. The object was actually pretty darn heavy, yet Sarah had no idea what it was. An ammo box maybe? No, what she felt beneath the sheet was wood, not metal. There was something moving inside that thing as they were putting it back on its feet. When they were done, Sarah made a step backward and frowned.

"Just what the hell is that thing anyway?" she finally asked.

"That, my dear, is probably my most precious possession." Jim replied, grabbed the sheet, and pulled it away. "Tadaaaa!" When Sarah looked at that object...

...she had no idea what it was.

"I repeat my question: What the hell is that thing anyway?" the ghost wanted to know and tilted her head to the side. That's when she noticed Jim's disbelief. She looked at him and a frown appeared on her face. "What?"

"I don't believe it." he muttered. "It's a jukebox!"

"A whatnow?"

"A jukebox! Come on, you know what a jukebox is. You're just trying to make fun of me." Jim sighed, but Sarah only shrugged her shoulders.

"Sorry, but I have no idea what a jukebox is. Some kind of...fridge?" she mused and earned another disbelieving look from Jim.

"Wow, just...wow." was his reply. "But you do know what music is, right?"

"Of course I know what music is. I'm not stupid." Sarah shot back with an annoyed look on her face. "So, this is some kind of...instrument?" When Jim heard that question, he opened his mouth, but then he hesitated.

"You know what?" he then said. "I'm gonna show you." He then walked around the jukebox, grabbed the cable and plugged it into a socket right next to it.

Sarah didn't really know what to expect. The moment Jim pressed a button, this _jukebox-thing_ came to life and produced a number of weird sounds. Even though the ghost knew that this thing was harmless, she nevertheless made a step back. And then another one. And another one. You know, so she wouldn't be inside the blast-radius. There was an audible _click_ and then...

" _...and AAAAAAAA-IAAAAAAAAA-I... will always love you-UUUUHUUUUU yeah..."_ the voice of woman suddenly echoed through the bar-in-progress. All heads inside the room turned around and Sarah watched how Jim pressed the off-button with the speed of light. There was a long and awkward moment of silence and when he looked at Sarah, she didn't even have to read his mind to know how embarrassed he was.

"You didn't hear that." he just mumbled.

Sarah actually had to bit her lip so she wouldn't laugh out loud. From the other side of the room, one of the men started to sing something.

" _If I should stay..."_ he began.

" _...I would only be in your way..."_

Sarah had obviously no idea about this song, but she realized that the other people did. Because the moment he was done, someone else continued the song.

" _I'll think of you...every step of the way!"_

Then there was another moment of silence and Sarah could see how Jim muttered the same thing over and over again.

"...pleasestoppleasestoppleasestop..." Unfortunately, his wish wasn't granted. Because that's when several guys started to sing at the same time.

" _And I... will always love you."_

" _I will always love you!"_

" _You, my darling you, hemmmm..."_

Jim hid his face behind his hands so no one could see his shame and embarrassment. Around them, the others continued to sing. Suddenly the whole room was singing that damn song.

" _Bittersweet memories..."_

" _That's all I'm taking with me."_

" _So, goodbye!"_

" _Please don't cry."_

" _We both know I'm not what you neeeeeeeed."_

"Oh, for the love of God..." Jim whined. "Please, someone put me out of my misery already!" However, his plight was not yet over. Pretty much everyone inside the room then started to sing the next lines as loud and obnoxious as possible. The result was both hilarious and horrible at the same time, because no one of those guys could actually sing.

" _AND IAAAAAA-IAAAAAAA-I!"_

" _WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU-UUUHUHUHUHUUUUUU!"_

Sarah watched with a mixture of amazement and surprise how these men butchered the song while Jim was dying of embarrassment. And when they were about to sing the verse...

"Out! OUT! All of you! Get out here before I get really mad!" Jim screamed and hushed everyone out of the room. The men started to laugh like crazy and allowed the former Marshal to kick them out.

"Way to go, loverboy!" someone yelled.

"If you two wanted some time for yourself, then you should have just said so!"

"Hey, should we put a "do not disturb"-sign on the other side of the door?" a man asked, only to be pushed out of the room by Jim.

"No, thanks! I'll handle the rest myself!" he snarled.

"Oh, I'm sure you do, Cowboy!" one guy chuckled. "Just remember: _AND IA-IIIAAAAAA!_ " The door was slammed shut when Jim hit the button right next to it. Unfortunately, you could still hear the voices of countless men singing on the other side. There was little doubt in anyone's mind that they would roam the entire ship now, torturing every poor soul with that song.

There was a long and awkward moment of silence and when Jim finally turned back around...

"Yeah, well, uhm...sorry 'bout that." he muttered. He was still embarrassed.

"I must admit..." Sarah chuckled. "...I didn't take you for the romantic type." Jim slumped past her and pressed a few buttons on the jukebox.

"You'd be surprised." he laughed. "That song, well, I guess hiding things from you is pretty pointless. Still, I would appreciate it if you wouldn't tell anyone that I sing this song under the shower from time to time."

"Cute. Really." Sarah whispered. And this time, there was only a hint of sarcasm in her voice.

That man was truly unlike any man she had ever met before.

"Uh, give me a second." Jim mumbled. He worked his way through the menu of the jukebox until he found something that would help him redeem his manly pride. He pressed the play-button again until...

" _Big wheels keep on turning..."_ a very different song started to play.

" _Carry me home to see my kin."_

" _Singing songs about the south-land."_

" _I miss 'ole' 'bamy once again and I think it's a sin..."_

"Much better, wouldn't you agree?" Jim asked Sarah, who only shrugged her shoulders.

"I'm not that much into music." she admitted. "Though I have to admit: How the color of your face turned into beet red was highly amusing."

"Yeah, well, guess I will have to live with the guys making fun of that for a while." Jim sighed and walked over to the bar. This was the perfect moment to leave, Sarah knew that. However, when she looked over her shoulder and at the door, she realized that the situation had changed. Before this little song-disaster, most people had been inside this room. Now they were outside, making fun of Jim's odd taste in music. And Sarah, not being a people-person, realized that being inside the bar would be the better choice.

"Just my luck..." she whispered.

"Well, guess the TV has to wait." Jim muttered when he opened a box and pulled out a bottle. "Still, might as well celebrate this moment. Care to join me?" Sarah looked back at him, only to see how he was holding two empty glasses in his one hand, and one bottle of booze in the other. Her first instinct was to say "No.". But with all the people outside the bar, she didn't want to leave this place right now. And then there was Jim himself. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't find even the slightest sign of ill-intend. And so she sighed and finally relented.

"Fine. But no drinks for me. There might still be a mission coming up." she told him.

"Heh, there's always a mission coming up, Sarah." he told her and sat down at a table. Sarah hesitated for a second, but then she grabbed a chair and sat down right next to him. Jim filled his own glass and he did the same with hers.

"I said I don't want to-" she protested but was cut short by Jim.

"Eh, quit your fuzzing. The galaxy can give us a break for at least one evening."

"I don't think that-"

"Sarah, just stop being yourself for ten minutes, will you? Come on, one drink. It's not like I'm trying to get you drunk in order to sleep with you."

…

…

…

When Jim noticed Sarah's cold expression, he realized the stupidity of his statement.

"That was a joke." he muttered.

"Your jokes suck." Sarah replied.

"Yeah, I heard that before. Well, cheers!" And then Jim grabbed his drink...

...and downed it in one go.

"That can't be healthy." Sarah whispered and looked at her own glass. She had no idea what that stuff was, yet by the time she was sniffing at it, Jim had already downed his second shot.

"Ah! That's some good stuff!" he sighed and went for another refill. Well, this stuff couldn't be that potent since Jim was downing it like water. So, what could go wrong? Sarah placed the glass against her lips and took the slightest sip before-

"GHAAAAA! IT BURNS!" the ghost gargled. She managed to place the glass on the table, grabbed her throat and fell off the chair before howling in pain and misery. Next to her, Jim was enjoying his fourth shot while a smug grin appeared on his face.

"Gotcha. That's what you get for dropping your guard. Thehehehe..."

They didn't end up drunk and having sex that evening. No, _that_ would happen three days later. Only without the drunk-part. However, that day Sarah learned a valuable lesson, one that she would forget on several occasions...

...alcohol and Sarah Kerrigan aren't a good match to begin with.

* * *

"Heh, look at that..." Paula whispered as her hand brushed over the jukebox. "Now that would be the perfect present."

"Before you even think about it..." Sirella mumbled right behind her. "...I won't carry that thing. If you want to take it with you, you have to do it yourself."

"Don't sweat it, big girl." Paula replied. "We didn't come here for that."

"Thank Tassadar." the Protoss sighed. "Also, Protoss don't sweat." However, Paula wasn't even listening. Instead, she walked through the bar and sucked in every detail. To everyone else, this place looked like a dead and abandoned relic of a time long since gone. However, Paula could still feel the afterglow of what had transpired here all those ages ago. The good...

...and the bad.

Paula stopped in front of one table and brushed with her fingers over the cold metal.

" _What happened to Kerrigan wasn't your fault..."_ long forgotten words echoed through her mind.

"Which part? Where she got left behind...or where she murdered eight billion people?" Paula whispered and closed her eyes. It was probably one of the most painful memories that dwelled in this place.

They had never kept this part of their lives hidden from Paula. But even then, it was hard to comprehend. The people that she called her parents and the people that had lived those lives...sometimes it felt as if they were completely different persons.

One thing Paula had learned at a very young age was that sometimes things were never that simple. And if you aren't careful, the past can consume you. She remembered all those lectures well. But standing in this place...

...it was as if the past was trying to pull her down, like a heavy blanket.

It almost felt like swimming in the ocean with your clothes still on. All that water turning the fabric heavy until it was pulling you down, away from the sun and into a place that was both cold and dark. The number of bad memories still lingering in this place were outweighing the good ones by far. The only exception was that jukebox, which felt like a beacon of light in a sea of darkness.

Almost like a lighthouse...

That thought put a smile on Paula's face. It was a nice sentiment, one that helped her to hush those dark thoughts away.

It was nice to believe that everything was sugar and rainbow. However, the reality was a tad bit different. Those two had endured a lot. They had suffered a lot. And they had inflicted a lot of pain. Her uncle once had told Paula that "probably the most painful moment in the life of a child is when they realize that their parents are just beings made out of flesh and blood, and just as flawed as everyone else". And even with Paula's unique background...

...she had to agree with that statement.

"I wonder..." Paula whispered while her fingers wandered over the ancient wood of the jukebox. She found a button and pressed it. At first nothing happened. But then...

" _All my bags are packed..."_ the jukebox began to sing and a gentle smile appeared on Paula's face. Behind her Sirella's eyes widened in surprise.

"That song, isn't that...?" But Paula wasn't even listening. Instead, she closed her eyes and hummed the melody while the song continued.

" _I'm ready to go..."_

" _I'm standin' here outside the door."_

" _I hate to wake you up to say goodbye..."_

Paula opened her mouth and wanted to sing along when suddenly the voice of a man echoed through the bar. Her eyes widened in surprise, yet instead of turning around, all she could do was to stare at the wall right in front of her.

"But the dawn is breakin'..."

"It's early morn'."

"The taxi's waitin'..."

"He's blowin' his horn."

"Already I'm so lonesome..."

"I could die..." Marshal Dan Bowski sang while leaning against the doorframe.

"So kiss me and smile for me."

"Tell me that you'll wait for me."

"Hold me like you'll never let me go." he continued.

"'Cause I'm leavin' on a jet plane."

"Don't know when I'll be back again."

"Oh babe, I hate to go."

The song continued, yet Bowski left it to the jukebox to sing the rest. He waited until it was over, and then silence filled the room.

"You're full of surprises, Dan." Paula whispered without looking at him. "Didn't think you would know that song."

"I'm full of surprises." the Marshal replied with a surprisingly calm tone in his voice. "And I must admit that this song almost makes me not angry at you running off on your own again. _Almost_."

"By now you shouldn't be surprised." the young woman mumbled. There was a faint smile on her face.

"I'm not. I knew that you would try something like that. I'm done yelling at you, Kerrigan. You think this is all a game and great fun, right? Well, the show's over. I'm gonna take Janice back to town, and you two will come along. I will drop you out at the Magistrate's office and tell her that you are insufferable. And I don't care if the Magistrate will rip me a new one for that. You're more trouble than you're worth." Bowski then looked at Sirella. "Sorry, but that includes you. I know that it isn't your fault, but I want to keep the two of you together. If only to make sure that you don't run into different directions."

"It's okay." Sirella sighed. "I'm used to it."

"I'm sure you are." the Marshal sighed. "Come on, let's go. You wasted enough of my time, Kerrigan."

"Charming as always, I see." Paula mumbled. "Just go ahead without us, we'll be right behind you." And that was exactly the one thing Dan didn't want to hear.

"Screw that!" he barked and stomped over to Paula. He placed his hand on her shoulder and made her turn around so he could look straight into her eyes. However, when he saw her face...

"What the hell?" Dan mumbled. Perhaps he hadn't expected Paula to cry. But what he certainly hadn't expected...

...was that her tears looked like they were made out of gold.

Dan didn't show any fear, only confusion.

"Guess my secret's out." Paula whispered. "Well, don't mind me. Like said, I can handle this myself." However, Dan wasn't really in the mood for her cryptic behavior.

"What is this? Why are your tears glowing?" the Marshal asked. "Is that some kind of new trend on Korhal?" he wanted to know, referring to all the strange and weird stuff the people did to themselves in order to be prettier.

"It runs in the family." Paula replied and brushed a tear off her cheek.

"Uhm...you guys?" Sirella suddenly mumbled and stumbled away from them.

"Let's go. I want you to be gone as soon as possible." However, that's when they heard a new voice echoing through the bar.

" _Kerrrigaaaaaaaannnn..."_

Bowski noticed how Paula's eyes widened in surprise when she looked at something behind him.

"Uhm...Dan? You might want to turn around." she suggested to him.

"Oh, harr harr. Good one." the Marshal shot back. "Seriously, that's the oldest trick in the book. And it isn't even a very good one. How about." However, that's when he felt how something touched his leg. "Huh?" He looked down and what he saw made virtually no sense.

Was that...a tentacle?

"The hell?" the Marshal managed to whisper. However, before he could react, the tentacle wrapped itself around his ankle...

...and yanked him back.

"GHA!" Dan gasped when he was swept off his feet. Everything was happening way too fast for him to react. He tried to grab is gun, but that's when the tentacles pulled him away from Kerrigan and towards the exit. Everything was happening so fast, all he could do was to grab the door frame and look at both Sirella and Paula.

"Help!" he managed to gasp when the tentacle yanked him away. Bowski's screams echoed through the darkness and when he was finally gone...

"Well, that was random." Paula muttered and turned away as if nothing had happened.

"That...I... uhm...Paula? WHAT IN TASSADAR'S NAME WAS THAT?!" Sirella screamed in terror. "The Marshal! The Marshal just got eaten by a monster!"

"Don't worry." her friend just replied. "He's fine. Then again, now we can go and look for Zeratul without him breathing down our necks! Come on, let's head for the lab." And with that, Paula simply walked towards the door as nothing had happened.

"Paula!" Sirella whined. "Didn't you see what just happened? We have to do something!"

"Sure." Paula replied. "Once I got Zeratul. After that we're gonna get the Marshal and-" However, that's when Sirella stepped into Paula's path.

"We are going to get him now!" the young Protoss declared with a surprisingly tough tone in her voice. Paula just sighed when she heard that.

"Don't worry, Sirella. He's fine. Trust me. Besides, even if he gets infested by accident, then I know how to fix him." the young woman explained. Naturally, that wasn't helpful at all.

"Paula!" Sirella mumbled. "This isn't right!" Paula looked up and her friend into the eyes. And after a while...

"Ach, fine." the young woman relented. "Saving the Marshal first it is. Geez, don't you dare to ever say that I don't take care of my friends." And with that, Paula walked past Sirella and turned right.

"The thing pulled him the other way, Paula!" Sirella barked and Paula turned around immediately.

"Right, the other way. I got this, no sweat. What could possibly go wrong?"

Oh boy...


	11. Chapter 11

**This chapter introduces a slight departure from all the flashbacks you have seen so far. It still has a flashback but it's no longer just centered on what has happened on the Hyperion. But you will see it for yourself.**

 **Big thanks go to Bjlu0900 for beta-reading this.**

* * *

 **Chapter 11**

 **Just another typical Thursday**

* * *

"Uhhhhnnn..." When Dan regained consciousness, he felt...strange. At first, he had no real idea what was wrong. It was as if he was surrounded by cotton. Warm and wet cotton. That sounded a lot better than it actually felt. Because there was something wrong about this whole situation. As Bowski's mind was fighting its way back to the surface, he shuddered and tried to move, only to realize that his body wasn't listening to him.

"Hnnn..." What had happened? Gosh, Dan felt as if a tank had run over him. Either that, or he had accidentally had some of Magistrate Swann's famous moonshine that she liked to give people as a present.

Though you usually don't give presents to people you like that end up blinding you permanently.

"Ehhhh..." Dan tried to move once more, yet his body remained stiff. However, as his mind started to clear up, he noticed that his body was actually still doing what he wanted to do. Unfortunately, something was keeping him pinned down.

Or, to be more precise: Pinned upright.

"Wha...where...am..." he groaned. Dan's eyelids started to flutter when he tried to open him. He was greeted by an unpleasant sense of vertigo. And one hell of a headache. A cold shiver ran down his spine and he groaned again.

" _...concussion...probably..."_

Dan wasn't even able to form one coherent thought, all he managed to do was to put two words together. He knew what a concussion felt like. The Marshal had managed to get one twice in his life already.

"Three...times...cha..." he managed to gargle. Well, so much for that. He probably had hit his head pretty hard since it felt as if he wasn't lying on the ground, but being tied to the wall. By warm and wet cotton. That was-

"Flesh. Soft. Weak. Her stench all over it." Dan's eyes shot open when a strange, ungodly voice spoke to him. While no one had used his name in order to address him, he just knew that this thing talking about him.

"Wha...what? Who...?" Bowski managed to stutter. He was surrounded by darkness. Yet even then he knew that he wasn't alone. Another chill ran down his spine when he felt something strange inside of him. It was as if tiny needles were poking his brain, searching his mind for information. Images flashed in front of his inner eyes. He could see things...memories. Moments of his life, some of them long forgotten, some of them happy ones...

...and some of them full of tragic.

"Ghhhuuuuu...!" he groaned in pain. Dan had never experienced anything like that. It felt...there were no words how to describe what he was feeling.

All he knew was that it sucked.

"So many words. So many things. Against the silence that I have endured. So much life. Yet all I felt is death. Why now? Why has she returned?" Another sense of vertigo washed over Dan, and he realized that this strange voice was actually addressing him.

"Who...who are...are you?" Dan stuttered. "What's...going on?" Thinking was so hard.

"Denying...the truth. Pointless." the voice replied. It sounded...old. And as if it was in pain. It was impossible for Dan to say if it belonged to a woman or a man. Heck, it didn't even sound truly human. Imagine a five-thousand-year-old Protoss who had been a chain smoker for most of his life. And whose family of heavy chain-smokers had come to visit.

"I... where are the others...Kerrigan? Is that another one of your jokes?" Dan groaned.

"Kerrigan. Kerrigan. Kerrigan..." the voice replied over and over again. The Marshal gasped when suddenly images appeared inside his mind. He could see...something. Most of it didn't make any sense to him. He saw teeth and claws, flesh and bones. It was pictures nightmares were made of.

However, among those images of terror was one that caused Dan to groan in despair. He could see alien creatures. At least he assumed that they were aliens. They might as well be demons straight from hell. Nightmarish beings, monsters straight from horror movies. Amidst those creatures stood one that was less of a monster and more like a human. But that didn't make it any better.

...it was Kerrigan...

Dan gasped and his eyes rolled into the back of his skull as his brain was filled with even more images. There was no doubt about it. That face...it looked almost exactly like Paula's. But the rest of the body...

...covered with carapace, weird tentacles instead of hair. Purple-glowing eyes that would haunt you in your dreams. None of that made any sense to Dan, yet the images just kept coming. He saw this creature fighting Protoss, tearing apart humans...

It was...

* * *

...a carnage.

As he watched the onslaught, he was surprised at how little he actually felt.

"Retreat! Retreat now! Fall back to the other defense line!" the screams of a soldier reached his ears and he turned around. It wouldn't change anything. The outcome of this battle was already clear. Perhaps it had never been in doubt in the first place.

No, the outcome had never been in doubt.

No matter how you look at it, there was no doubt how this whole show would end.

As he watched the scene in front of him, he questioned his own feelings. Shouldn't he feel something? Anything? Pity maybe?

Yet all he felt was a sense of fulfillment.

Was it wrong to feel that way? These humans had once been his own kin after all. It didn't matter that he had been born on the other side of the galaxy. Even with all those lightyears between them, humanity had still managed to flourish in this god-forsaken part of the universe. He remembered a time when he had felt pity for the plight of other humans, even if he had fought them. But now? Now he felt...

...joy?

"Hmmm..." a quiet hum escaped his charred lips. No, he wasn't feeling joy either. Though, in all honesty, no one could blame him if he would. Not after everything they had done to him. Killing him hadn't been enough, oh no. The sweet release of death had only lasted for a pitiful fraction of a moment. Just when he had hoped to rest in peace, they had brought him back. Only to tear him apart over and over again.

The pain of the body? That, he had endured.

But the pain of having his mind ripped apart...

...that was still there.

"A penny for your thought." her voice reached his ears. He turned his head away from the gruesome sight right in front of them and looked her straight into the eyes. Even now, as he stood right next to her, he still had a hard time to believe it. Not because he couldn't accept the reality of this situation. He had brought this upon himself, after all. It had been _him_ who had approached _her_ , not the other way around. He had offered his services, knowing full well that she probably could have gone without it.

"What?" he asked and frowned.

"It's an old saying." the Queen of Blades replied, a smirk on her face. The fact that there was still a battle going on didn't seem to bother her at all. "Ji-...someone once close to me once told me about it. It's meant that-"

"I know what it means." he replied. "I'm from Earth, remember?"

"Hmpf." she replied. Was she angry? Upset? Or amused by the fact that he didn't want to play her game? It was hard to tell. Perhaps it was curiosity. He was Zerg, yet he was not a part of the Swarm. That alone seemed like a contradiction to the other creatures that followed her, especially that snake-like one. What was her name again? Izsha?

"You seem distraught." the Queen mused. "Feeling pity for your old comrades?" There was only a hint of sarcasm in her voice. Perhaps he was imagining things, but she almost sounded...sad.

"These aren't...my comrades." he replied with a quiet voice.

"No?" the Queen wanted to know. "Why? Because you are no longer human? Or because they weren't born on Earth?" He took his time before giving her an answer.

"Both, I guess." he mumbled. His face didn't betray his emotions, mostly because his charred visage had lost a lot of its flexibility after being killed, revived, infested, de-infested, only to be re-infested again.

In case anyone was wondering: Yes, he was in pain. Constantly. Every second of his existence, every single moment was nothing but pure agony. He didn't know wherever this was the price of infestation, or because they had used him as a guinea pig over and over again. The woman who could give him an answer to that was standing right next to him, yet he didn't feel like this was the right moment to ask such a question. Then again, there would probably never be "the right time" to ask such a question.

Then again, he was pretty certain that he already knew the answer.

"Understood, Izsha. Have Zagara ready her brood. Once this battle is over, I will take my troops and lead them below. I want her to secure this area. Let her claim it for the Swarm." the Queen suddenly declared. He knew that she wasn't talking to him, yet there was still something strangely familiar about this whole situation. Right in front of them, the battle continued, even though it was pretty one-sided. When he had reached out to the stars in order to find help, he sure as hell hadn't expected the famed and much-dreaded Queen of Blade to listen to his calls. And much less had he expected that _she_ would actually be the one to heed his calls.

In a way, he still wasn't sure wherever she had come as an ally...

...or was just another creature that would add to his misery.

However, it wasn't as if he had any choice in this matter. Alone, hunted by his former fellow humans, he had been all out of options.

You know that feeling? When you are no longer in command of your own fate? When you stand on the deck of a ship with a broken rudder and torn sails, and the waves keep crashing down on you? Every moment could be your last and the only option left of you is to pray to whatever god you may believe in. That was his reality right now.

He wondered...

...if he had been in this situation ever since he had left Earth for the Koprulu-Sector, and just hadn't realized it back then.

Suddenly an infernal noise caught his attention. He turned his head around and watched as a Terran vessel approached on the horizon. No, not one. Three.

"Banshees." the Queen mused. "They certainly picked the name well. Their engines do sound like the scream of the damned." She watched indifferently how the flight of three flew over a huge group of Zerg and recently infested humans, and how they released their deadly load. Fire and death rain down upon the Swarm, yet no matter how many bodies were smashed, it carried on.

He watched with keen eyes. Just what were the pilots thinking, dropping their bombs on their former comrades? Were they feeling despair or rage at seeing the fate of their friends and allies? Or pity? Perhaps they believed that killing the infested was an act of mercy.

The banshees performed their attack with deadly precision, yet it wasn't enough. So they turned around and came in for another round. As far as he could tell, they were causing some serious damage. Worse, they seemed to manage to stall the onslaught of the Swarm. Yet when he glanced over to the side and looked at the Queen, she didn't seem to be worried at all.

"We seem to be losing a bit too many troops, wouldn't you agree?" he decided to speak his mind. Wouldn't it be pure irony to see his quest for vengeance fail only after he had managed to recruit the help of the most frightening force in the galaxy?

" _We_?" the Queen of Blades asked with a hint of amusement in her voice. "Shall I take that statement as a letter of application?"

"Hmm...how about an internship first?" he mused. To his surprise, the creature next to him threw her head back and laughed out loud.

"Hahahaha! That would be amusing, wouldn't it? Zerg accepting limited memberships. I think that would go against the whole idea of being Zerg." However, the moment those words left her mouth, a worried expression appeared on her face. At first, he thought that something had happened, that their plan was about to be ruined. But then he noticed how she looked at her own hands as if she was remembering something. He wasn't willing to ask her what it was that was tormenting her. How could he? Even though he was more monster than man these days, he knew that the fearsome Queen of Blades was in a different league. He had little doubt that she could tear him apart with ease. Perhaps that was what she would do if they were done here.

Who knew, maybe he wouldn't even put up a fight.

"Annoying flies." the Queen of Blades growled when the Banshees turned around for another pass. He watched how she squinted her eyes and gritted her teeth. Mere seconds later infernal screams filled the air when hordes of Mutalisks flew past their heads and headed straight for the Terran machines. He had no idea where she had kept those things hidden. Had they waited inside that gigantic creature that had brought her here, this leviathan? Or had she grown them in the scorched remnants of the base that were now covered with creep and full of Zerg?

He didn't want to ask.

Still, watching the Swarm from within was...intriguing.

He had fought Zerg. He had fought Protoss. And he had fought men. But fighting an enemy was one thing. Watching how the enemy works from the inside was a whole different story.

"Heh..." he chuckled when he noticed how funny that line of thoughts was.

"What's the matter?" the Queen wanted to know while they watched how the banshees broke off the moment they noticed that they were no longer the undisputed rulers of the sky. The Mutalisks followed them and there was no doubt in his mind that they wouldn't stop until the enemy was gone.

"I just pondered, that is all."

"Well, you might as well share your thoughts with me while we wait for the inevitable." the Queen mused.

"It's nothing important. And it will most likely only bore you." he tried to dodge her request.

"Humor me." she insisted. "Besides, I don't know if you have already noticed it, but Zerg usually are horrible when it comes to small-talk."

"Yes..." he chuckled. "...so I noticed."

"So?" the Queen continued to pry, which caused him to sigh.

"It's just...strange to see all of this." He stretched out his arms and included the whole area.

"War? It confuses you?" she asked with a truly surprised tone in her voice.

"Ha! No, not war. Nor battles. I know the sound, the smell and the taste of war well enough." he replied. "It's just...to stand here, among the Zerg, it is...weird."

"Weird? How?"

"I don't know if I know the right words to describe how I feel, I'm afraid." he mused.

"Well..." the Queen chuckled when she heard that. "...I can always have Abathur work his magic on you. I'm sure once he's done you will have no problems sharing your thoughts with the rest of the Swarm. Or whatever's left of you."

"Sounds lovely. But I think I'll pass." he replied with a dry tone in his voice.

"I still demand an answer to my question." the Queen of Blades said after a while. Even though the tone in her voice sounded friendly, he knew that she was serious about that.

"Hmm..." he hummed and tried to gather his thoughts. "...how shall I put it? The Zerg...are a lot less alien than I thought they would be." There was a loud explosion in the distance and both of them watched as a banshee vanished inside a huge fireball when a wounded Mutalisk crashed into the machine, sacrificing itself in order to slay another foe of the Swarm.

"A case of kindred spirits?" the Queen offered, which caused him to laugh again.

"Ha! Hardly. It's just...the creatures that you surround yourself with, they seem so..."

"Competent? Intelligent? Capable of reasoning?" she suggested.

"...human." he replied and noticed how the Queen looked at him in surprise. However, that moment only lasted for the fraction of a second and then she simply turned her gaze away.

"Isn't this a rather odd thing to say?" she wanted to know.

"I don't know anymore what's odd and what's not. I am no longer in charge of my own fate, oh mighty Queen of Blades. Perhaps I have never been. I am but a shadow of my former self. No longer a man. Not truly Zerg either. And not even dying was something that I could do properly. I guess that makes me quite the failure."

"Trust me, I know that feeling." the Queen sighed. In the distance, another banshee was brought down by a suicidal mutalisk. With their air-support gone, the Terran defenders were soon under attack by hordes of Zerg again, some of which had been their friends and comrades not so very long ago.

"There is a certain beauty to it. I wonder if I couldn't see it before because I kept my distance or because I merely wasn't able to perceive it when I was still human." he mumbled.

"Beauty?" the Queen teased him. "Do Zerg arouse you? Perhaps I should ask Zagara if she would be interested in exploring the idea of human-zerg mating habits?" It was obviously a joke.

"Teh, I don't think I'm ready for something like that just yet. Or ever." And then he took a deep breath. "It's just...impressive. The Swarm, seeing it like this. It's like one huge organism. Gerard, he merely saw the weapon. He thought that it was a tool that was supposed to be used. A weapon that was meant to be wielded. But I guess there's more to it than just that."

"You make it sound more poetic than it actually is." the Queen replied. "The Swarm is relentless. Ageless. Without mercy. Or do you consider an avalanche beautiful? It's just going to run you over anyway."

"Sometimes an avalanche can be a beautiful thing. As long as you watch it from a safe distance."

"You and I have very different opinions on avalanches then." the Queen mumbled. "Also, there is no safe distance when the Swarm is involved."

"On that, we can agree."

The battle was about to reach its logical conclusion. He watched from the distance how the defenders intensified their fire. It wasn't a sign of strength. They were no longer aiming at specific targets, they were simply unloading their weapons into the general direction of the enemy. Which meant: _everywhere_.

For someone who had studied war, this sight was both fascinating and horrifying at the same time. It defied everything he knew about warfare. The Swarm was the ultimate anti-weapon. It didn't require tactic or strategy. You would just point it into the general direction of the enemy...

...and let 'em loose.

"It's not much longer now." the Queen said with a surprisingly tranquil tone in her voice. Was she...sad? He didn't dare to ask. However, when she made a step forward, he couldn't hide his surprise.

"Don't you want to wait until it's over?" he wanted to know. The Queen stopped and looked over her shoulder, flashing him a smile. Even now, even that her body was covered with carapace, that face still looked like the face of an angel. And for a second, he was reminded of his own family, about the one he had left behind when he had traveled to the Koprulu-Sector. To say that the Queen of Blades had anything in common with the wife he had left behind would be utterly ridiculous. Yet, at the same time, that smile the Queen showed him reminded him of the woman that was probably still on Earth, wondering what had happened to her husband.

Hopefully she would die after a long and peaceful life and never find out what had happened to her husband...

"I prefer to lead from the front." the Queen explained. "Care to join me?" For another short moment he thought that she was implying _more_. But then he chuckled and shook his head. Heh, he was quite the fool. Perhaps the human part of him still longed for companionship. Perhaps all the time alone had turned him desperate. However, he soon realized that she was just referring to this battle. Call it "male intuition".

"Lead on, oh mighty and fearsome Mistress of the Swarm!" he declared. "I shall remain behind and watch from the distance."

"Suit yourself. I will wait for you at the entrance once this battle is over. Don't be late!" And with that, the Queen of Blades walked away. It was truly a sight to behold. She wasn't running. Oh no, she was simply walking towards the battle as if it was the most normal thing in the world. Perhaps it was just another walk in the park for her. Who knew? Still, as he watched how the Queen of Blades joined her minions, he sighed. And after a while, he looked up at the sky and watched how the dark, black clouds filled with thick and acrid smoke were moving past his head.

"Well, Gerard, my old friend. It seems that _I_ am the one who should be pitied, not you." he sighed. The battle continued, and from the distance he could see how the mighty and fearsome Queen of Blades joined the fray. She was truly magnificent, a goddess of destruction and carnage. But he no longer felt unnerved by that. Death and slaughter had lost all its horror to him a long time ago. And absurdity held no longer any meaning for him either. Next to him, a group of Hydralisks slithered towards the frontline. They didn't even stop a second to take a look at him. The mighty Queen of Blades had told them that he was not to be touched or harmed, and that was good enough for them. So here he was, one of the last few survivors of Earth, maybe even the only one, putting his life in the hands of a creature that he had once considered his enemy.

"It would seem that you are heading straight for hell, woman." he mumbled and then a sad smile appeared on his disfigured face. "I guess that leaves me no other choice but to follow you. Isn't that right..." And then he looked up at the sky again.

"...Kerrigan?"

* * *

"Kerrigan...Kerrigan...Kerrigan..." the voice continued to snarl. "Where is she...where...come out...show yourself! The Swarm...I am no part of the Swarm. You do not command me. I am my own master! Kerrigan...Kerrigan..."

Dan groaned again when his senses returned to the here and now. A strange sense of vertigo washed over him like some kind of tidal wave. For a moment he felt as if he had to vomit, yet he had no idea if what he was feeling was actually his own body. Describing what he was currently feeling seemed impossible. His mind was still filled with images that didn't make any sense to him.

And in its center was...

" _Kerrigan..."_

Those images...that creature. It hadn't looked like a human, yet that face. It was the exact same face of someone else he knew. But...how was that possible?

His confusion collided with something that felt like rage and bitterness. Only that it wasn't his own. And that it felt as if it was one thousand years old. Like a tree that had been growing for a long time, unchecked and without anyone caring for it. Only that this thing wasn't a tree.

Or, well, at least it hadn't been one a long time ago.

"Kerrigan. Where is she?" the voice spoke to him from everywhere, including the insides of his own mind.

"I..." Dan panted. "...I don't know."

"Liar!" the voice boomed and suddenly Dan's head felt as if it was about to explode. He groaned in pain and his eyes rolled into the back of his skull. The Marshal gritted his teeth and felt how more memories emerged inside his mind, pictures of his own childhood, of past mistakes and successes...

...and...

" _We were enemies once..."_

" _Well, we both seem to be Zerg now."_

" _Indeed..."_

More pictures of this strange womanlike creature appeared inside Dan's mind. He didn't know what was weirder. The fact that this creature still looked so human, even with all the carapace covering her body, or the fact that her face looked exactly like that of Paula.

" _I am the final loose end."_ the voice continued. It was another memory. Distant. Almost completely faded. Like an old photograph. _"I suppose you will kill me now."_

" _If you want to leave, I won't stop you."_ the voice of this so-called Queen of Blades echoed through Dan's mind. And again, he was reminded of Paula.

More memories flooded his mind.

" _You can't go home again."_ the Queen declared. _"I won't let you."_

The finality of those words almost caused Dan to groan again. And then he heard those four words that had once been enough to scare the entire sector, to make grown-up men and women scream in terror and turn warriors into cowards.

" _I am the Swarm!"_

And then...

...everything ended.

Silence reigned supreme. All that Dan heard was his own breath and the blood rushing through his ears. It felt as if the presence was finally gone from his mind. It was as if a huge burden had been lifted from his shoulders.

"Ah...ah...ah...ah..." Dan panted. Too much. It was all too much. He had no idea what was going on. Just what the hell had he-

"Kerrigan...where is she?" the voice suddenly spoke to him again. Only this time he could hear it with his ears, not inside his mind.

"I don't...know." Bowski replied once more.

"Lies. I sense her. All over you." the voice growled.

"I don't know...what you're talking...about." the Marshal groaned. That's when he heard a wet sound. He raised his head and squinted his eyes. His body was still pinned to the wall, his limbs covered with some sort of hardened resin. It was utterly repulsive, yet at the same time this stuff was the least of his problem. There was some faint light illuminating this place, yet all he saw were things that didn't make any sense to him. Perhaps this was still a nightmare? That would explain why he was inside something that looked like a giant stomach...

"Your lies are useless. I recognize her stench all over you. Her powers have touched you. Intimately. You cannot hide the truth from me..." the voice growled. "...Raynor!"

"R... Raynor?" Bowski muttered. "What's a... Raynor?"

Suddenly something long and slimy shot forward and slung around his neck. Dan gagged when something that felt like a tentacle started to choke him.

"Stop denying the truth!" the voice continued. "I know what you mean to her. She would never allow you to come here alone. Where is she? I will not join the Swarm anymore, I will not fight her battles!"

"What...what are you talking about?" Dan gargled. "I don't...what...Swarm?"

The Swarm. He remembered something. A distant memory, something he had heard when he had been a child. Xenobiology classes in high school. Misses Rutherford. Her fascination with alien cultures and how she had bragged that she once had visited the Protoss' embassy on Korhal. And there had been lessons about something else. A species called Zerg and something called "the Swarm". However, Dan had never really cared about those stories. Especially since Misses Rutherford's tests had been about Protoss, Protoss and even more damn Protoss.

"The Queen of Blades...is close. I can feel her." the voice continued. The tendril tightened its grip around Dan's throat, only to suddenly release his him from its stranglehold.

"Gha! Ack! Eargh!" Dan coughed when the pressure was finally lifted from his throat. He took a deep breath and groaned in pain and discomfort. There was another wet sound. It almost sounded like wet tissue being torn apart. It was nauseating and caused him to shiver in disgust.

"I do not know how you found me, Raynor..." the voice continued. Suddenly it seemed so close. Through half-opened eyes, Dan could see how something lowered itself from the ceiling. Something long and elongated, something utterly inhuman. The "thing" positioned itself right in front of his face, and when he finally could make out some details...

...he started to scream in terror.

In front of him was a face. Or what could be considered a face if you had a lot of imagination. The fact that it was horribly disfigured wasn't nearly as nightmarish as the fact that this face wasn't attached to a body, but a long muscular tentacle-like tendril.

This was a nightmare. It had to be. There was no other logical explanation.

"No! NO! STAY AWAY!" Dan shouted. Perhaps it wasn't very manly to panic in such a situation, but right now he truly didn't care. No one had ever prepared him for any of _this_! He watched in disgust how the face opened its mouth and how actual words poured out of it.

"Has she decided to force me to serve her once more? Has she reclaimed the Swarm and now wants to finish what she has started?" this thing pondered. Dan looked into dead, milky eyes.

"Please...please..." he stuttered but didn't really know what to say or do. Should he beg for his life? Or pray for a quick and painless death?

"Services were offered..." the creature growled. "...services were rendered. She has no dominion over me anymore. Amon is gone, Narud has been slain. There is nothing left for us. Nothing but silence and remorse." And then the head tilted to the side and grinned. It was a truly nightmarish sight.

"What...are you?" Bowski whispered.

"Feigning ignorance will not save you. If she thinks that I will give up without a fight, then she is mistaken. I will tear you apart and show her that I am my own master!" Oh, that didn't sound good. And just when Dan thought it couldn't get any worse...

...the mutilated head opened its mouth and showed the Marshal its teeth.

Oh God, those teeth!

There was a second row of razor-sharp fangs. It was an utterly inhuman sight and when the head moved closer, Dan could feel its hot and rancid breath on his face.

"What...what are you-" Dan stuttered. He watched in absolute horror how that maw came closer and closer.

"Perhaps..." the voice spoke to him without using the mouth of the head. From the corner of his eye, the Marshal could see more things that looked like faces on the wall around him. And they were all talking to him at the same time. "...she will leave me alone if I take a big bite out of you!" A long tongue emerged from the mouth of the head and licked over Dan's cheek, who felt the urge to puke. So this was how he would die? Eaten by a goddamn monster? This was-

"Uh...am I interrupting you two?" an all-too-familiar voice suddenly spoke to them. The mutated head turned around and snarled at the newcomer, who had appeared inside the fleshy room all of the sudden. Both the creature and Bowski said the same thing as they recognized her.

"Kerrigan!" Dan gasped in surprise. "Quick, get out of here! This thing is-"

"KERRIGAN!" the monster howled and the tentacle with the head at the tip came around until it was face to face with the young woman. "So you have finally returned. I shall-"

"Yeah, yeah." Paula muttered. "Sorry to break it to ya', but you got the wrong Kerrigan. I ain't who you think I am."

"Lies!" the creature growled. "Pointless and empty words that hold no meaning! You smell just the way I remember. You taste as-"

"Whoa! Now let's not go there, okay?" Paula sighed. "This is getting out of hand."

"I shall not join you, Kerrigan. I'm no longer who I used to be. I do not answer your call!" the creature continued.

"Huh...man, your eyes sure are lousy." the young woman mused and acted as if this whole thing wasn't freaking her out at all. "Then again, when she told me about you, she called you "the odd one". Now I understand why."

"Kerrrigaaaaaaaan!" the creature snarled. "I will not-"

"Yeah, yeah, you will become my minion." Paula interrupted him again. "I already got my own private minion, she's hiding outside."

"I'M NOT YOUR MINION!" Sirella screamed from somewhere outside this strange, living room.

"See?" Paula merely continued. "I'm good. Don't need you to tag along too. So don't sweat it. Well, if you can still sweat. Don't know about that. Do you even still sweat?"

…

…

…

"Kerrigan..." Dan groaned. "...perhaps this is not the right time, but should we not survive this, I want you to know..." he gasped.

"...I put the blame entirely on you!"

"Yes, I second that!" Sirella yelled from beyond his view.

"Thanks for having my back, you guys!" the young woman shouted back before she looked at the horribly mutated creature. "Man, time sure hasn't been nice to you. I guess that's what you get for being used as a guinea pig by an ancient monster that's serving a dead god. Not that you did that by choice, I mean. Uhm...yeah."

And so, this whole situation had gone from frightening and horrible to just plain weird...

"I will not join the Swarm again! I am my own master and-"

"The Swarm isn't here. Don't worry, Kerrigans no longer run the Swarm." Paula sighed. "So yeah, if you actually don't want to go there because of a certain someone whose name you are constantly repeating, then I have good news for you! Also, honestly, perhaps you should go there and ask for help with your, uhm, well...condition. The Zerg have changed a lot, you know."

"I will never return and-" the creature growled.

"Ah, gawddammit, Stukov!" Paula barked. "I was told that you could be a frustrating fellow, but this is just ridiculous!"

"Stu...kov?" the face repeated that name and frowned. It was as if this creature was not able to remember what it once had been. _Who_ he once had been.

"Stukov..." the creature whispered again, and from the walls, the name was repeated over and over again.

"Stukov."

"Stukov."

"Stukov."

"Stukov."

"Yes, Stukov!" Paula groaned with an annoyed tone in her voice. "That's your name, glad that we worked that one out. Now, can we return to the really important part of this conversation? I just want to know something and then I will leave you alone to do whatever you like doing down here." There was an awkward moment of silence and Paula looked over at Dan. When they made finally eye-contact, she beamed at him.

"Oh, hi Dan! Didn't notice you there. How's life?" she asked with a cheerful expression on her face. Before he could reply anything, however, Paula turned her attention back towards the creature that was continuing to mutter "Stukov" as if its life depended on it.

"And I'm gonna take that one with me. No offense, but I'm pretty sure you have no use for him anyway." she declared. And much to Dan's own surprise he felt a surge of relief when he heard that voice. But that's when he realized that his fate was now in the hands of none other than Paula Kerrigan. Suddenly the idea to be at mercy of this horrible creature wasn't so bad anymore...

"Oh, quit your whining!" Paula barked at Dan when she noticed his line of thoughts. And then she sighed and rubbed her temples. "Okay, here's the plan: Just hand over this guy and tell me where I find Zeratul, and then we will be on our way. How does that sound? Then you can spend the other half of eternity in here and get even crazier. Sounds cool? Do we have a deal?"

"Zeratul?" the creature growled. "Zeratul. Zeratul. Zeratul. Stukov. Zeratul. Zeratul. Stukov..." And then the head of this creature snapped forward and stopped only mere inches in front of Paula's face.

"KERRIGAN!" the monstrous creature screamed. "I WILL NOT JOIN YOU AGAIN! I DO NOT SERVE THE SWARM, I AM MY OWN MASTER NOW!" The whole room started to shake. Now it truly felt as if the walls were made out of muscles instead of metal. All the movement surrounding Dan felt nauseating, yet suddenly he felt how his limbs became loose and he gasped in surprise when gravity regained dominion over his body.

Which was a fancy way to say that he fell down and landed on his face.

"UNF!"

"KERRIGAN! RAYNOR! ZERATUL!" the creature howled while more tendrils emerged from the ceiling and the walls. "NO MORE! NO MORE FIGHTING! NO MORE BLOOD!"

"Alright, I had it with you." Paula said and raised her hand. "I tried to be reasonable. If you don't want to listen, then I have to make you see the truth. Here, let me fix you up, pal." That's Paula smirked and raised her hand even further. She looked over at Dan and by now her grin was absurdly wide. "Hey, watch this! You won't see this stuff anywhere else!"

And then she snipped her finger.

And...

...nothing happened.

"Huh?" Paula muttered and looked at her own hand. She snipped with her finger once more. But again, nothing happened.

"Uh..." she hummed and tried again and again. "Weird. This usually works." Dan watched in disbelief how Paula was playing with her fingers as if there was nothing more important right now than snipping her fingers.

"Well...that's anticlimactic." Paula mumbled and then she looked over her shoulder. "Yo, Sirella. What day is it?"

"Depends on the world we are currently on!" the Protoss yelled from outside the room. "And before you ask: Yes, today is Thursday!" Dan could actually see how Paula went pale when she heard that.

"Thursday? Eh? Hehehe...ehhhhh...well, that explains it." Suddenly she didn't seem so confident anymore and made a step backward and away from that horribly mutilated head. "Listen, we probably had a bad start. How about we do this again." And then Paula harrumphed and offered her hand to the tentacle with a head at its tip as if it was just a random guy.

"Hello, my name is Paula Kerrigan, and I have no intention of enslaving people and make them serve the Swarm. So how about we-" she started.

"KERRIGAN!" the creature howled in rage.

"Or not." Paula simply replied and looked at Dan. "Uhm...this might be a good moment to GET ON YOUR FEET AND RUN!" For a second Dan wasn't sure if she was making jokes again. But when he saw how the young woman stormed out of the room, he realized that this wasn't meant to be funny. Probably. Dan managed to get back on his feet and stumbled towards the nearby door. He could see how a tentacle shot towards him and ducked just in time before it could grab him. Paula was already out of the door and he was right behind her when another tendril managed to get hold of his leg.

"GHA!" Dan shouted when he was swooped off his feet and landed on the flesh and wet floor. "Let go of me, you-" His eyes widened in panic when he realized that this creature was pulling him back into the room. He reached out with his hands and tried to hold on to something, anything.

That's when suddenly two big gray hands grabbed his own. Dan looked up and stared into the glowing eyes of Sirella.

"Got you!" the Protoss gasped and pulled with all of her might. For a moment Dan felt as if he was about to be ripped in half, but that's when two more hands joined Sirella's. They belonged to a human. Paula.

"For a marshal, you sure like to slack off a lot!" the young woman huffed. The tentacle continued to pull at Dan's leg, so did the two women. He could feel how his spine started to ache, how his vertebrae started to pop. And just when he thought that he would be ripped apart...

...the two ladies won the unlikely tug-of-war and Dan Bowski was spared the fate of being turned into a living pinata.

"GHA!"

"EEEEP!"

"SUNNOFABITCH!"

The three tumbled out of the door. The tentacle suddenly released Dan's ankle and Sirella's superior strength send him flying. He landed on something soft and when he looked down, he realized immediately what it was he had landed on.

"You know..." Paula groaned. "...I understand that this situation is somewhat unconventional, but under other circumstances this could be called sexual harassment." Bowski, whose head was still resting between her breasts, looked Paula straight into the eyes.

"I hate you so much." he growled.

"Yeah, well, I like you too and-" Paula started.

"KERRIGAN!" the voice of Stukov roared from behind them. Dan rolled off Paula and got back on his feet. Next to him, Sirella was making a step back. And then another one. And another one.

"Well..." Paula groaned when she got back on her feet as well. "...I guess this calls for a strategic retreat. Dan, since you got a gun, and Sirella, since you are big and strong, how about you keep me safe while I... uhm...guys?" When the young woman looked around, she realized that her two "friends" were already almost out of sight as they ran down the corridor.

"KERRIGAN!" the artist formerly known as Stukov snarled and more tentacles emerged from the door. When Paula saw that, she groaned and dropped her shoulders.

"I so hate Thursdays. WAIT FOR ME GUYS!"


	12. Chapter 12

**Once again my thanks go to bjlu0900 for beta-reading this story. And thanks to all the people commenting and reading this thing.**

* * *

 **Chapter 12**

 **To err is human**

* * *

''SHITSHITSHITSHIT!"

''AAAAAAAAAHHHH!"

''THIS WASN'T PART OF THE PLAN! THIS WAS MOST DEFINITELY NOT A PART OF THE PLAN!"

As the three figures stormed through the dark corridors of the abandoned battlecruiser, they all shared the same problem. And that problem was made out of tentacles, claws and teeth.

Especially teeth.

A lot of teeth.

" _KERRIGAN!"_ the voice of the creature formerly known as Stukov howled through the corridors. _"Raynor and Zeratul cannot help you now!"_

"WHAT IS THAT THING TALKING ABOUT?!" Dan screamed while he was right behind Sirella. Unsurprisingly it was Paula who was in front. She sure as hell could run fast if she wanted to.

"I TELL YOU SHOULD WE NOT GET EATEN BY IT!" Sirella screamed back. "ALSO: I'M NOT ZERATUL! I'M NOT EVEN MALE!"

"UP AHEAD!" Paula shouted. "A JUNCTION! WE HAVE TO GO LEFT!" And when they reached mentioned junction, Paula did indeed turn left and looked over her shoulder...

...only to see how both Sirella and Dan turned right and ran into the opposite direction. When the young woman realized that this wasn't a mistake, her left eyelid started to twitch.

"I HATE YOU GUYS!"

"WE HATE YOU EVEN MORE!" Dan and Sirella screamed at the exact same time. And so Paula started to curse like a sailor and ran after them. Suddenly she was dead last. Which meant...

 _"KERRIGAN!"_ Behind her a wall made out of tentacles, claws and teeth rolled through the empty corridors. It was relentless, ageless, and driven by a rage that it didn't even understand anymore. It seemed that not only Stukov's body but also his mind had degenerated quite drastically in all those centuries down here.

"OKAY, I ADMIT IT!" Paula squealed. "MY PLAN LOOKED BETTER ON PAPER!"

"WAIT, YOU PLANNED FOR THIS SHIT-SHOW?!" Dan screamed as he looked over his shoulder.

"THAT'S A LIE!" Sirella, who was now leading the pack yelled. "PAULA IS PHYSICALLY INCAPABLE OF PLANNING SOMETHING!"

"I THOUGHT WE WERE FRIENDS!" the young woman whined. "YOU ARE HURTING MY FEELINGS!"

"I'M GOING TO HURT SO MUCH MORE OF YOU SHOULD WE SURVIVE THIS!" Sirella replied. Before they could continue with their all-out yelling-contest, Dan pointed at something up ahead.

"THERE! THAT'S A BLAST-DOOR! SIRELLA!" he shouted.

"I SEE IT!" And when the two were past the blast-door, Sirella grabbed the two ends of the blast-door and started to pull while Dan ripped off a plate right next to the door and pulled the handle of the emergency hydraulic release. Some things hadn't changed in thousands of years. And while most emergency door-overrides were no longer operating hydraulic-based systems in current-generation vessels, the principle was the same:

Pull the yellow handle and watch the magic.

"WAIT FOR MEEEEEEEEEEE!" Paula screamed in terror when she realized what these two were up to. They would wait for her, right? They wouldn't just leave her behind with Stukov, or what was left of him. She was a young and beautiful woman. And he was a monster made mostly of tentacles. It didn't take a genius to know what would happen next! And that's when she heard...

"Faster, Marshal! Faster! If he gets Paula, then we can buy us some time!" Sirella gasped.

"I'm on it, but this thing isn't working!" Dan replied before he decided to give up on that plan and hurried over to Sirella in order to help her to close the door with brute strength. At first the door wouldn't even move one millimeter, but just when Paula finally reached them and jumped through the door (performing a completely pointless header), the heavy metal of the blast-door finally moved and whatever pressure was still inside the hydraulic system caused it to shut within fractions of a second.

"AND SHE SCORES!" Paula screeched when she landed on her belly. The tip of a tentacle made it through the door as well, but when the ancient emergency system actually kicked in, the door snapped shut and the tentacle was cut off. A furious roar came from the other side of the now closed door. Something heavy slammed into the door and both Sirella and Dan jumped back.

Bang.

Bang!

BANG!

 _BANG!_

They watched in horror how the door started to bulge. And then...

...nothing.

Silence reigned supreme. All that was audible were the labored breaths of Dan and Paula. The Marshal looked to the side and mustered Sirella for any signs of fear. He still didn't know much about Protoss, but the fact that her eyes were almost as big as his head right now kinda told him that she too was visibly shaken by all of this. As for Paula, however...

"Phew...that was a close call!" the young woman groaned and rolled on her back. "Nice timing, by the way. I actually thought for a second that you wanted to leave me in the tentacles of that guy. Could have warned me, though." When Dan and Sirella heard that, they exchanged knowing looks and decided to stay quiet.

"Eh...he...he...ehhhhh..." Paula panted. "Phew, so much excitement for one day! I think I'm gonna take a nap now. Can someone please turn-"

"WHAT IN DAMNATION WAS THAT THING!" Dan screamed in rage and stomped over to the young woman. He grabbed her arm and pulled Paula back to her feet before staring her straight into the eyes. "Enough stupid jokes! What is this? What is going on here?!" he demanded to know.

"Huh...explaining everything to you could be somewhat complicated." Paula muttered. "Sirella, can you help me with this one?"

"Sure." the tall Protoss chirped and pointed her finger at her friend. "It's all Paula's fault."

"Wha-?!" Paula protested.

"Sounds completely reasonable." Dan cut her short. As he stared into Paula's eyes, she had to admit that the Marshal could be pretty intimidating if he wanted to be.

And right now?

Right now, he was very _intimidating_.

And so...

"...itallstartedroughlyonethousandyearsagowhenmyparentsmetandtheydefeatedanancientandallpowerfulaliendark-godbythenameofamonwhohappenedtobeaxelnagatrappedwithinthevoidthankstomymotherwhowastherulerofthezergswarm-backthenthezergterransandprotosswereabletodefeatamonafterwhichmyparentswerefinallyfreeanddecidedtohaveafamily-wellnotimmediatelyfirsttheyhadtofigureoutsomestuffaboutthemselvestheyhadhelpfrommyauntizshaandmyunclesjoeand-karaxohandmastertessonwhoselikethecoolestprotosseverbutdonttellartanisthatisaidthatotherwhisehewillbeangrysinceialready-calledhimtheheroofmyyouthatonepointmyparentsgotinrealtroubleanditwastheghostofaprotossnamedzeratulwhosavedtheir-buttsandnowihavecomeherebecauseiwanttosearchforhimandbringhimbackhomethecreatureyousawisactuallyaguy-namedstukovwhogotinfestedanddeinfestedsomanytimesthatitisntevenfunnyanymoreiguessthathemutatedquiteabiteversince-thehyperioncrashedhereandnowhethinksthatimmymotherandthatmymumisstilltheruleroftheswarmwhichisnttrueanymore..."

Meet Paula Kerrigan, the talking machine-gun. "...but yeah, that's the story in a nutshell."

…

…

…

…

There was a long and awkward moment of silence, and when Dan opened his mouth...

"Your mother ruled the Swarm?" he muttered and Paula's eyes widened in surprise.

"And your parents defeated a space-god one thousand years ago? And you don't want me to tell Artanis that Tesson is cooler?"

"Wow..." Paula gasped. "...you are good!"

"So this creature...Stukov. It was human?" Dan wanted to know.

"Yeah. Born and raised on Earth. Came to the Koprulu-Sector ages ago in order to bring it back under Earth's control. Bit off more than he could chew. Ended up being turned into a guinea pig. And then some more boring details I have forgotten about."

"Details you have forgotten about..." Dan mumbled. "Insignificant details. Like a huge TENTACLE-MONSTER THAT WANTS TO EAT US!"

"You don't have to yell, you know." Paula mumbled. "My ears do work fine."

"It's not the ears that I'm worried about!" he hissed. "It's the thing between your ears that has me in doubt!"

"Now you're just rude..." Paula said with a surprisingly whiny tone in her voice.

"Did you know?" Dan asked and looked at Sirella.

"I have learned not to ask for details a long time ago." the Protoss sighed. "Now you know why."

"Indeed..." the Marshal growled, which earned him a chuckle from Paula.

"Hey, funny that you say that, that's exactly what Zeratul used to..." But then she noticed the withering glare of the other two and bit on her lip. "...I think I'm quiet now."

"That would be a first." Dan growled and then he leaned against the wall and pressed his hands against his face. "This is a dream. A bad dream. Maybe a trip? Someone gave me drugs and now I'm hallucinating. It has to be. I'm probably lying in my tent right now, drooling in my sleep while grunting like some sort of animal."

"I'm afraid that this isn't a dream." Sirella sighed again. "But if it is any comfort to you: I was exactly in the same position as you a couple of years ago."

"Oh, really? You were once chased by a tentacle-monster through an abandoned ship?" Dan griped.

"A demented Zerg-broodmother who mistook me for a Tal'darim." Sirella explained. "And it wasn't an abandoned ship but the ruins of an ancient space station build by giant space gods."

"I shouldn't have asked." Dan mumbled.

"You can't blame Niadra for that." Paula mumbled. "I told you that she's bad at remembering people." But before Dan could ask Paula just what the hell she was talking about, he suddenly felt a strange sense of vertigo and almost fell flat on his face.

"Oh damn..." he mumbled and gritted his teeth when a sharp pain ravaged his brain.

"Marshal? Are you okay?" Sirella asked. "You don't look so good."

"Funny that you mention it, I don't feel so good either." he mumbled and had to lean against the wall. "Think I hurt my head pretty hard. Maybe a concu-HBUAAARG!" Suddenly his stomach took over command and decided to perform what could be considered an "explosive decompression".

"Sure looks like a concussion." Paula mumbled while Sirella watched both in disgust and with curiosity how Dan spat some hot bile on the cold metal floor.

"Maybe you should sit down for a moment." Sirella offered, but Dan just shook his head.

"No. We need to get topside. Warn the others. Call the military, whatever. We have to...agh..." However, now that the immediate danger was gone, all that adrenaline that had kept Dan on his feet was starting to fade away. And with it, Dan could feel how his strength started to wane as well.

"Dan? Are you okay?" Paula asked. "You look kinda, well...green."

"Is' fine..." he groaned and groaned when something inside his body seemed to shift and move in a most unnatural way. "...gotta keep going andooohn..." Dan wasn't able to finish that sentence when suddenly that sense of vertigo turned into a full-blown sense of "Oh hell!"

"Marshal!" Sirella gasped and hurried over to him in order to catch him before he would fall flat on the ground. The Protoss put him down and watched in horror how the man started to writhe in pain and agony. Something was wrong, very wrong.

"Paula, what's-" Sirella started while Dan groaned out loud once more. He pressed his hands on his belly and gritted his teeth. Paula walked over to them and knelt down right next to Dan.

"God...what...what is this?!" the Marshal hissed and pulled his shirt up. And when he looked down...

...he could see how something pushed against the skin of his stomach.

From the inside.

"Well..." Paula muttered when she saw that. "...crap."

* * *

 **Paula Izsha Kerrigan!** the thundering voice echoed through the empty ruins of what once had been known as the cradle of life, though nowadays no one called it like that anymore. When she heard her own name, Paula realized that she was in deep trouble. More than usual. There was no way out of this, she was aware of it. But that didn't mean that she would just come out of her hiding place.

"Paula, come out!" another voice yelled. It didn't sound so powerful, so intimidating. But it was equally worried. "Everything is fine, let us talk!" That was a lie. Nothing was fine. Not after what she had done. Not after doing what they had expressively forbidden her to do.

To quote her father: She was screwed.

Royally screwed.

Paula had found a small hole in which she was currently hiding. The dark walls that surrounded her reacted to her psionics every now and then and started to emit a green light. She knew this place well, even though she rarely came here. Too dangerous, that's what her parents usually were telling her. Too complicated, that's what her uncle Karax usually was telling her. Too mundane and beneath her, that's what her aunt Izsha was telling her.

Awesome, that's what her other uncle Joe was telling her.

She so shouldn't have listened to him.

Paula stared at the walls of her small hiding place and bit on her lip. The green light was giving away her position. All it took was for someone to walk past that small hole in the wall to see that something was wrong. That there was a small girl hiding inside that hole, too scared to face those she had disappointed.

"Paula! Come out! It's okay, you don't have to hide! Let's talk! Joseph is fine, really!" The voice was getting closer. It belonged to her father. He sounded worried. However, that didn't put Paula at ease, not at all. She could hear footsteps and kept her breath. Making even the slightest sounds could mean that she would give away her position. She pulled her short legs up to her chin and slung her arms around them, making herself as small as possible.

Right now, she wished to be anywhere else but here. This place was scary. It was dark and sometimes it tried to speak to her, yet she couldn't understand those voices. Her mother once had told her that it was the same for her and that she didn't like it either. That's why she hadn't been sad when Uncle Joe had wrecked it all those ages ago. Uncle Karax was still mad at him, though.

This place once had been known by the name of Ulnar, homeworld of the Xel'Naga. Though "homeworld" was already a description that was inadequate to describe what it was. Or had been. A point in space where the universe and the Void were connected. A place of secrets, wrapped in even more secrets. Most of these secrets were forever lost. They vanished the moment the last Xel'Naga had perished. What remained behind was a husk, scattered across the planet Paula considered her home.

In order to keep Ulnar away from those who might want to use it to their own advantage the heir to the Xel'naga's power had decided to permanently relocate it in order to make sure that no one would be able to uncover its secrets without her permission. That plan had worked flawlessly...for exactly five minutes.

It had taken that long for Uncle Joe to smash Ulnar into a planet and turn it into the biggest puzzle of all times.

Paula loved that story, she always asked him to tell her about it. From all the stories he had told her over the years, that one was one of her favorites. The only story she liked more was how her parents had met. And how the mighty Zeratul had saved her parents once upon a time. She never got tired of hearing that story, preferably from her father.

Speaking of which...

"Paula! If you can hear me: Please say something!" He was close. A part of Paula wanted to say something. Another part wanted to crawl out of her hiding place and run over to her father, hug him and tell him how sorry she was. But the fear kept her hidden. She knew that she had disappointed them. All of them. How many times had they told her to be more careful? It wasn't just her parents. Tesson would be disappointed as well. He had found her first when she had tried to undo the damage she had done. It had been him who had stopped her, who had alarmed the others. Paula knew that he had done the right thing and she was ashamed that she had just given in to her first instinct and decided to run away instead of staying.

Golden tears streamed down Paula's face and when she heard those footsteps, she looked up with wide open eyes, afraid that she had been caught.

She recognized those footsteps. She could tell who was approaching just by the sound they were making. Two feet. That was already a piece of important information since Niadra had more than one pair of feet and Izsha had no feet at all. There were more details, however. The footsteps weren't elegant, so that ruled out the one person she didn't want to see right now. They weren't over-the-top heavy either, so it couldn't be Karax. Tesson was no option either. Even though he was a Protoss and therefore a lot heavier than your average human, Tesson was a former Nerazim. Meaning that you didn't hear him coming.

No, those footsteps belonged to the only other person Paula didn't want to face right now.

She watched in horror how two feet stopped right in front of the hole she was hiding in. The walls surrounding her started to pulse, mimicking her racing heartbeat. There were so many cracks and holes in the ruins of Ulnar, so the chances that he had found her own private hiding hole were close to zero.

"Paula?" her father's voice reached out to her. "Hey, Cupcake, you can come out. Uncle Joe is fine. Please, we are worried about you. I promise that we won't yell at you."

Paula found that hard to believe, considering what she had done. Her parents had never yelled at her. But even she knew that everyone could screw up so hard that yelling was a perfectly fine reaction. And to make matters worse...

"Did you find her?" her father asked and she could see how his feet turned around. A bright, golden light suddenly appeared. When the warm rays fell into Paula's little hole, she tried to crawl back, afraid of being touched by it.

 **No. I can sense her, but I can't say where she is.** That voice belonged to her mother...

"Seriously?" her father groaned. "Are you absolutely certain?" There was a hint of desperation in his voice.

 **Yes, Jim. I am certain. It's this...place. Ulnar. Or what's left of it. It is like a goddamn prism, fracturing my powers. I can sense her but can't locate her. She has to be nearby, though.** When Paula heard that, her heart began to beat even faster, and the walls around her reacted by pulsing in a rapid fashion. Stupid Ulnar! What good was a hiding hole if it sent out Morse code of your goddamn location to the world?

"Guess that means we have to continue the old-fashioned way." her father sighed.

 **Ugh, I was afraid you'd say that. Just so you know...** her mother's voice when suddenly the golden light faded away and two slender feet appeared right next to those of her father. "...she got that kind of behavior from you."

"Noted. We can argue which bad traits she got from whom once we find her." Paula's father replied. "We should start in the south again."

"We already checked that place, Jim."

"Then we will check it again. Paula can be quite elusive if she wants to. Something she got from you."

"Do I hear sarcasm in your voice?"

"What? Sarcasm? Me? Pfffffff..." her father replied. "No, never. Come on, let's go find our daughter." Paula could see how the feet of her father walked away. Yet those of her mother remained where they were.

"Jim..." she mumbled. "...did you think I overreacted?" Paula could hear how her father suddenly stopped.

"What?" he asked.

"About Paula, about not telling her. About not teaching her more so she could have avoided this." Paula bit her lip when she heard the guilt and doubts in her mother's voice. Great, another thing to add to the guilty-list: Making her own mother doubt herself. Quite the achievement for someone of her age.

"Come on, this isn't the right time to play the old blame-game, Sarah. We have to find her." Paula's father insisted.

"I should have been stricter with her, Jim." her mother continued. "This is my fault. She's getting older and as she grows, so do her powers."

"Yeah, so? We knew that this would happen one day."

"But it's happening too fast, Jim. This happened because she has no control over her power. Not like I do."

"She will. Eventually. She got you as a teacher. And Tesson." Paula's father tried to reason with his lover. "Besides, you said it yourself: No matter what's going to happen, you would never do to her what they did to you. You would allow Paula to learn this stuff her own way. Are you telling me that you were wrong about-" But he didn't get much further.

"Don't you even dare to finish that sentence, Mister!" Paula's mother hissed. "I would rather cut my own head off than do to my own child what the Confederacy did to me! And you know that!"

"Then I suggest we keep this conversation for another occasion and search for Paula. A storm is approaching, I don't want her to be out here. Come on, let's find the others and coordinate our search efforts." Paula's father sighed and walked away. She didn't dare to move as she stared on the feet of her mother. She was so close. So close! It was hard to believe that even someone so powerful like her mother wasn't able to find her although she was so close. Then again, if there was one person who possessed the ability (and audacity) to hide from the most powerful Ghost in all of existence, then it had to be her very own offspring.

"Just so you know: Once we find her, she's grounded for life!" her mother snarled when she followed Paula's father.

"She doesn't age, you know that, right?"

"Shut up and walk!"

* * *

Paula didn't know how much time had passed. Sitting inside her hiding place sure wasn't the most exciting thing to do, but if you are really scared, then silence and boredom can be your best friends. The distant sound of winds howling through the ruins of Ulnar was an eerie sound, yet Paula didn't care. On the contrary, the sound of wind meant that her mother wasn't nearby. She hated bad weather and if the wind would stop blowing it usually could only mean two things: Either the weather was getting better or her mother was nearby. And since storms on this world usually lasted for days Paula knew that she was safe as long as the storm kept raging.

" _Paula..."_ someone shouted her name. It was barely audible and Paula couldn't even say who it was that was yelling. _"Paula, where are you? Please, come out! We are worried!"_

But Paula was too scared.

And then the wind started to go away. And she heard footsteps. A lot of footsteps.

"Nothing?" someone asked. It was her father.

"Nothing." That voice belonged to Tesson, her teacher. "I am not sure wherever I should be worried or impressed. Paula managed to hide her tracks well. Guess it was not so smart to teach her the arts of the Nerazim."

"No, seriously?" her mother asked. Her voice was dripping with sarcasm. "I swear, you and I will have a long talk once this is over, Tesson." Great. Paula managed to not whimper when she heard that. So she had done it again. Thanks to her actions her mother was now angry at Tesson. Good job!

"Sarah, can't you find hear? Seriously, you can bend the weather to your will, yet not even find our daughter?" Paula's father mumbled.

"Don't you think I would if I could?" her mother barked. "I can sense her...but these damn ruins keep messing with my senses. I told you that I don't like to come here. It's like being inside a house of mirrors." That's when another voice joined them.

"Your Majesty, I have informed Niadra of the situation." Izsha explained. "She has her brood searching for Paula as we speak."

"Thanks, Izsha." Sarah mumbled. "Perhaps you should go and see Joe. I think he needs you right now more than-"

"Joseph is safe right now. He will recover." Izsha cut Paula's mother short. "He already made a joke, which means that he will survive. Our daughters are with him. Paula, however, is in danger." When Paula heard that, she bit on her lip. He was safe? Uncle Joe was safe? Her happiness was cut short when the guilt took over. Yes, he was safe. But she had almost killed him. And why? Because she had used her powers like a toy.

"Very well. Let's continue the search then." her father sighed. "She has to be somewhere. Come on, people. She's just a kid. She's out there, alone. Scared." When Paula heard those words, she only wanted to crawl out of her hole and tell them how sorry she was. But she couldn't. She just couldn't.

"I'm...sorry..." she whispered and a whimper escaped her lips.

"What was that?" Tesson asked and Paula immediately gasped in shock when she realized that she had given away her position. She pressed her hands against her mouth and could feel how more tears started to stream down her face. Tears made out of pure gold...

"It came from over there." Izsha explained and that's when something big blocked the entrance to Paula's little hideout. Her eyes widened in fear when she saw how something moved down. Something big and scaly. And then...

...she could see directly into Izsha's eyes.

And Izsha was looking right at her.

Paula was too scared and ashamed to say anything. She could only shake her head. And then...

"Izsha? Is that Paula?" she could hear the hopeful voice of her father.

 _Please...don't tell them..._ Paula thought. She wasn't even trying to reach out to her mother's closest friend. Using her psionics when her mum was nearby would have been a bad idea. And yet...

"No." Izsha simply said as she looked at Paula. "Paula isn't here. It looks like this is just the nest of a Kriecher." And then the huge snakelike lady turned away. Paula felt a surge of relief and could feel how her whole body started to tremble.

"Kriecher, huh?" her father mused. "Hey, maybe we should get Moby. What if she can track Paula?"

"My sense of smell is far superior to that of your pet kriecher, James." Izsha explained with an undignified tone in her voice.

"Uhm...how? You don't have a nose." Jim mumbled.

"That you know of." Izsha simply replied. "Come, follow me. I think I know a place where she could be hiding." And then Paula listened how Izsha led the others away. Until she was finally alone again.

Alone...

When she was certain that no one was around anymore, Paula started to weep. She cried and cried and cried until she was too exhausted to go on anymore.

Perhaps that was the reason why she didn't notice how someone was approaching her little hiding hole. Until...

"Paula?" a tired and exhausted voice asked. Paula's whole body tensed up when she recognized that voice. She didn't dare to answer to that.

"Paula, I know you're in there. Izsha told me." The voice belonged to a man. A man that had been in horrible pain a while ago because of her. She didn't dare to say anything, though.

"The silent treatment, huh? Fine by me." he said and she could hear how he sat down just outside her little hiding place. "Listen, kiddo...for whatever it's worth: I'm sorry." Sorry? He was sorry? Paula was young, yes. But she wasn't stupid. She had screwed up, not him. She had tried to control Zergs, just like her mother had in all those stories they had told her. And she had failed horribly, resulting in her uncle to nearly biting the bullet.

"I know that you're probably scared right now and think that everyone's mad at you, but it wasn't your fault." her uncle continued. "If anything, then I'm to blame. I shouldn't have made those stupid jokes all the time. And I shouldn't have told you about all that Queen of Blades-stuff. It was like asking for a disaster to happen." her uncle told her. "My point is: If we adults make mistakes, then we can't expect you to be perfect." And then there was a moment of silence until...

"Wanna come out?"

"No..." Paula whispered.

"Eh', you're probably right. The weather's horrible out here. Mind if I come in?" her uncle asked.

"Actually-"

"Great! Make some room, will ya'? It's not like I'm fat or anything." Before Paula could protest, she saw how a man knelt down in front of the hole and squeezed himself through the narrow path that led to her little hideout. And he finally reached her...

"Phew. Guess I should be more careful. My innards still feel a bit wonky. But hey, at least they don't try to escape through my navel anymore." Joseph Brent said and tried to get back up, only to smash his head against the ceiling. "Agh! Son of a..." But then he bit on his lip and looked around. "Huh. Pretty nice place you got there, kiddo. Some paint on the walls, maybe a carpet. It's almost like a cave. I like people that live in caves." He then tried to sit down, even though this place wasn't made for someone of his size.

"Did you...tell my parents?" Paula whispered.

"Where you are?" Uncle Joe asked and she nodded. "No. They are currently still searching for you. Kudos, kiddo. I never thought it was possible for anyone to hide from your Mum. Or Tesson. You really know how to keep a low profile."

"I was just scared after...what I did." She looked at her uncle with wide open eyes. "I'm sorry. I didn't want to hurt you." And her uncle? He only smiled.

"I know. I know, Paula." He raised his hand and wiped a golden tear off his niece's cheek. Maybe they weren't related by blood, but that didn't matter. They were family. Period. The weirdest family of all times, granted. But family nonetheless.

"It wasn't your fault." he told her.

"I didn't think it would end like this." Paula whined. "I thought I had it under control. I felt the larva, and it was doing exactly what I wanted it to do. And then it just suddenly...I don't know what happened. It just..."

"Saw me and thought that I looked delicious." her uncle sighed. "Yeah, Zerg dig me. Ask Izsha. Guess that was a good reminder that just because we have a crazy broodmother in the neighborhood, doesn't mean that we can do whatever we want to. Like fooling around with her larvae."

"I just wanted it to do something. I don't know what. I just..."

"You wanted to do something that your mother once did." her uncle sighed. "Something that comes up as a topic all the time, even though your mother expressively told us to keep our mouths shut. So I guess this is what you call "karma". Did I ever mention that I hate karma?"

"What is...*sniff*...what is karma?" Paula asked.

"Something that good people don't have to worry about, kiddo. So don't mind this old fart ranting about the mistakes he did." Uncle Joe sighed.

"But I hurt you." she whimpered and a warm yet exhausted smile appeared on Joe's face.

"People end up hurting people all the time. It's part of life, Paula. The real question is: Why are people doing such things. Sometimes we hurt those who are closest to us because we aren't even are of the consequences of our actions. Or because we have to hurt them in order to help them. Only if you decide to hurt someone because it makes you feel better...that's the moment when people should be mad at you." her uncle explained.

"But I hurt you..." Paula simply repeated those words like a mantra.

"And how do you feel about it? Bad? Guilty?" her uncle wanted to know.

"Yes..." Paula whispered.

"Good. That means that next time your stupid uncle tries to talk you into something, what is it you're gonna say?"

"No?"

"Good girl." Joe replied. "Paula, I want you to remember one thing: You will make mistakes. Many, many mistakes. It's what makes us people. So don't be ashamed for screwing up. Besides, you should ask your parents about that. These two are the king and queen of royally screwing things up. And I'm not even exaggerating." And then he took a deep breath. "All you should keep in mind is that if you ever encounter a situation where you screw up, or whenever you don't know what to do anymore...just ask for help."

"Okay..." the young girl whispered.

"Hey, Paula. Look at me." her uncle said and she did as she was told. "Everything will be okay. There's no reason to stay hidden."

"I'm scared." Paula whimpered.

"Of what your parents will say to you?" Joe asked and she nodded. "Well, I know as a matter of fact that they are scared as well. Scared about you. And you don't want them to be scared, right?"

"Yes..."

"So, I guess it would be a good idea to go see them. Then they wouldn't be scared anymore, right?"

"But then they will yell at me." When Joe heard that, he sighed.

"Paula, I'm pretty certain that won't happen. But tell you what, kiddo: I will go see them with you. That way we both will get yelled at. You can even hide behind me. We're in this together, yes?" There was a long moment of silence until...

"...okay."

"Good girl." her uncle said. "Now come on, let's go back home. I'm freezing my ba...toes off."

"That's not what you wanted to say, Uncle Joe."

"No, it wasn't. Ugh, I hate Thursdays. Mark my words, kiddo: Bad things only happen on Thursdays."

Even though Ulnar had been reduced to rubble a long time ago, most pieces were still so massive that they were bigger than whole mountain ranges. It was hard to really describe what Ulnar was. Or had been. Then again, it probably spoke volume that it had survived for eons until one idiot had decided to bring the saying "We break for nobody!" to a whole new level.

And that idiot was none other than Joseph Brent.

As he walked through the ruins, he had a whistle on his lips while holding Paula's hand. His niece was still visibly shaken. What he had told her was the truth: Even though she had screwed up, he was to blame. And so he swore to himself to not make the same mistake ever again.

If there was one good thing about this whole situation...

...then that Paula Kerrigan would make for a lousy Queen of Blades 2.0. Joseph was certain that a lot of people would be happy to hear that. Even though everyone who remembered the Queen of Blades was already dead...

As they were approaching a huge crack in the wall, Joe could see the beautiful sky again.

"Ah, sure nice to get out of this damn crypt. Should have smashed it even harder. But don't tell Karax that I said that, I-" That's when Paula suddenly froze and Joe looked down. "Huh? What's the matter, kiddo?" But then he saw his niece's wide-open eyes and the look of fear on her face.

"Paula, what's the matter? Are you-" That's when Paula cut him short.

"She's coming..." she whispered. "...and she's angry!" The young girl wanted to run away, yet Joe didn't allow it. He kept her hand in his grip.

"Paula! Don't be scared. Everything will be fine, you just-"

 **PAULA!**

A bright light appeared right above them and even though Joe knew what was going on, it still had caught him off guard. Surprised, he let go of Paula's small hand, who stumbled and fell on her butt.

"Sarah, listen-" Joe started and looked away. The light was just too bright and painful to look at. However, before he could even finish his sentence an even brighter bolt of light dashed past him and engulfed the screaming kid.

"SARAH, DON'T-" he tried to reason with her. But that's when...

"You stupid, stupid girl!" the woman that was suddenly right next to him wept. She slung her arms around the scared child and pressed her against her chest. "We were worried sick! Are you hurt? Why didn't you answer when we called out for you?" Joe sighed in relief as he watched how those two looked at each other. And a tires smile appeared on his face when he noticed the look Paula's face. Apparently, there were still some tears left.

"Mommy! I'm so sorry!" she whined and pressed her face against her mother's chest. And her mother?

All Sarah Louise Kerrigan did was to hold her little girl close to her heart. As she looked up, her eyes met Joseph's.

"Thank you..." was all she said.

"Don't mention it. I guess my work here is done." And when he left, he looked over his shoulder once more, only to watch how those two were still hugging and crying.

"Heh, almost like a normal family." Joe chuckled. "Just remember kiddo: People screw up. And should you ever find yourself in trouble, don't be too ashamed to ask for help."

* * *

"What is this?!" Sirella gasped as she looked at how the skin of Bowski's belly rippled. "Is this a human thing?"

"No." Paula whispered. "No, it isn't." Dan, who was in excruciating pain, looked down. And what he saw was his own personal nightmare. Now it finally had turned into a true horror movie. It was as if his innards had developed a will of its own. Something pushed against the skin of his stomach. From the inside.

"Oh God! OH GOD! WHAT IS THIS?!" he screamed in terror.

"Seems like Stukov left a little something inside your guts without you noticing it." Paula mused.

"Wha-what are you UHNNNN...what are you...talking about?" Dan groaned. The young woman looked straight into his eyes and suddenly he saw something that he hadn't seen before...

...he saw a dead-serious Paula Kerrigan.

"You've been infested." she told him.

"In-infested? With...with what?"

"We got no time for that. Sirella! Help him back up! We have to hurry." The huge Protoss hesitated when she heard that.

"Are you sure? Perhaps we should get out of here and then-"

"No time! We have to hurry. Come on, you help Dan back up. We have to get to the lab." Paula explained.

"Lab? Paula, we don't have time to look for this. Zeratul has to wait! And besides-" Sirella started.

"AGH!" Dan gargled when something inside him started to shift and move inside his body in the most unnatural way possible.

"No more time to discuss this, Sirella! The lab, now!" Paula ordered.

"We have to help him!" her friend squealed.

"That's exactly what I'm trying to do." the young woman explained.

"How?!" Sirella asked and then she saw that determined look on Paula's face.

"By asking for help, just like my uncle once has told me." Paula told her friend.

"And who would that be?"

Before Dan lost his consciousness due to the horrible pain, he could hear one more thing.

"The one person that knows more about Zerg than anyone else. I'm gonna ask Mum for help." Paula declared.


	13. Chapter 13

**Before we start!**

 **Ahem...**

 **First of all, let me tell you that I do appreciate every favorite and every comment. It is not my main motivation for writing, it is nevertheless highly appreciated. I usually answer every comment (even sometimes when I shouldn't...) but I do not belong to the kind of people who post the answers to questions at the beginning or the ending of a chapter so everyone can see and read them. I guess I could do that but I just don't see any purpose in that. Unless you people want me to do that, then I will.**

 **That being said...I do feel like I have to address the last comment from the now-renamed user DeleteUser12345123412. So, after his comment (I'm just assuming that he's a guy, not that I really care) my answer was basically "Bite me" and then I blocked him. Mostly because that comment didn't safe any purpose at all. You might consider it a form of criticism, and therefore one might accuse me of not being open to criticism, yet I do not consider this comment to be any of that. It's just a rant. One that makes no sense at all. Especially the fact that he accuses me of this story not be in line with the official canon. Which is the ultimate irony since this here is a fanfiction-site.**

 **I know it shouldn't bother me, but I just wanted to use the opportunity to point out that this comment (or "wall of text") serves no purpose other than to lecture others on "how to do it right". The author of the comment said in the last passage: "I am very interested to understand the logic of similar authors."**

 **No, he didn't. He just wanted to to show his own ignorance towards the works of others and hide behind nice and fancy words.**

 **Also: Perhaps I'm the lousiest Christian of all times, but I can't see any resembles of the bible and Jesus Christ in the plot of Starcraft. Seriously...**

 **Whew...getting this off my chest felt nice. Now for some context regarding the story:**

 **Like I mentioned in another chapter, I do like the Starcraft-story. There are just a few things that tick me off. Things that were left open, storylines that weren't finished. Or things that seem to end in nowhere. Like, for example, the crystal Stetmann experiments on inside the Hyperion's lab? What happened to that thing? I guess it was of no importance to Blizzard. But since this is a FANFICTION I might as well have some fun with that thing, regardless if it "makes sense" or not.**

 **And to answer one question some people have asked: Yes, there is a reason why Jim's old dropship is suddenly on the Hyperion. And yes, even in my story Sarah took it with her when she escaped the Dominion during "Heart of the Swarm". You will just have to wait and see how it got there.**

 **Phew...now I wrote a wall of text. Enough of that.**

 **My thanks go to everyone else who reads this and might end up enjoying it, no matter if you choose to comment on it or not.**

 **And thanks to Bjlu0900 for being my ever-present beta-reader.**

* * *

 **Chapter 13**

 **Lost in Translation**

* * *

''...over here! This is it!" The heavy metal door was pushed open from the outside and when Paula managed to squeeze her head through, she looked around and an exhausted grin appeared on her face. "Jackpot!"

"Paula, do you need help with th-" Sirella asked behind her.

"Nggggghhhhhhnnnooooo!" Paula groaned as she used all of her strength in order to push the door open. Her head was red like a tomato, proof that she was giving it all. When the door was finally open, she slipped through and looked around.

"Yeah, this is the place!" she sighed and used her remaining strength to push the door open so that Sirella could slip through.

"Gaaaaaahhhnnn..." the barely conscious Dan Bowski groaned when the tall Protoss carried him inside. His body was covered in sweat and his skin was so pale that he looked like a corpse. You could actually watch how he was deteriorating, something that was both fascinating and horrible at the same time.

"It...it hurts..." the Marshal groaned.

"What now? Paula? I don't want to sound rude or anything..." Sirella whined. "...but if the Marshal's going to explode from the inside, I want to put him down first!" However, Paula wasn't paying attention to her friend's whining. Instead she looked around and frowned when she spotted what they had come here for.

"Bingo." she whispered and walked towards the other side of the room where some strange structures were growing out of the wall.

"Paula!" When she heard her friend, the young woman looked over her shoulder an realized that there were more important things to worry about right now.

Like the dying man who was currently being eaten from the inside by his own entrails for example. But even then, she used the moment to throw a quick glance at her surroundings. Everything was where it was supposed to be, which was good. What wasn't good was-

"Ghnnnnnn!" Paula's thoughts were interrupted by Dan's pained grunts.

"Paula, please!" Sirella squealed and when Paula looked over at her friend, she noticed the desperate look on the Protoss' face. She was both frightened and disgusted, probably worried that Dan would simply explode inside her arms like a pinata made out of flesh and bones.

Which wasn't that far from what was about to happen...

"There, put him on that table!" Paula declared and pointed her finger at an old medical table that was still standing around. Sirella put the groaning Marshal on said table and looked at her friend for guidance.

"What now?"

"Keep him down! Make sure he doesn't hurt himself." Paula ordered.

"Hurt _himself_? How about hurting _me_?"

"Protoss can't be infested." Paula simply explained before turning her attention back at the strange structure in the corner of the lab.

"No, but they can get their heads bitten off!" Sirella shot back. "What are you doing back there? Help me! Help him!"

"That's exactly what I'm trying to do. Let me see..." the young woman muttered. She placed her hand on the strange structure. Whatever it was, it clearly wasn't part of the Hyperion. Or at least it hadn't been there when the ship had been commissioned. It wasn't the only unnatural structure present in this room. Right next to it was what looked like the remains of a giant carcass. Something that-

"AAAAAH!" Sirella suddenly screamed when she spotted the bones and dried flesh coming out of the wall. "PAULA, IT'S HERE! IT FOUND US!" However, Paula remained unfazed.

"That ain't Stukov, Sirella." she told her friend. "Don't worry, this thing is dead. I think..." The last part of the statement inspired so _much_ confidence. While Sirella was torn between freaking out even more and trying to take care of Marshal Bowski, Paula walked over to the strange structure until she could place a hand on it. She reached out, ready to touch the cold surface of the ancient crystal until...

"AAAGH!" Dan screamed in pain and tried to get back up. It seemed as if he didn't even know what he was trying to do, he was just trying to find a way to get rid of the pain. In his desperation, he grabbed his shirt and tried to pull it off. That only led to Sirella be able to take a good look at the man's stomach. And what she saw-

"BY THE ANCIENTS!" the Protoss screamed and backed away. With no one holding him down anymore, Dan used his newfound freedom to thrash around. He grabbed his own stomach and rolled around, which resulted in him falling off the table and land on the cold, hard floor. As he was experiencing what could probably be considered the most agonizing pain of all time, at the very least it would make for an interesting experience. Not many could claim to know what it feels like when your own intestines start to devour each other.

And even less could claim that they survived infestation.

Then again, right now there was no clear indication wherever or not Dan Bowski would survive the next five minutes.

"Damn it, can't I get even two minutes of peace and quiet so I can figure this out?" Paula growled and hurried over to Dan. She knelt down right next to him and placed her hand on his forehead. His body was hot, and not in the good kind of way.

"Marshal? Marshal, can you hear me? Dan, listen to my voice!" she tried to reach out to him, yet all Dan could do was to groan in agony.

"Wha...what's...what's happening...to me?!" he gasped and rolled on the side cramps started to torment him.

"You've been infested." Paula told him. There was no way to beat around the bush. "Which means that, as we speak, every cell of your body is being infected by a virus that will turn you inside out. Literally." When Dan heard that, he looked her straight into the eyes. You could see the fear all over his face.

"What...what's...agh!" he tried to ask before another cramp caused him agonizing pain.

"Let me get straight to the point: I might have overestimated my own abilities a bit." Paula deadpanned. "But fear not! I know just the guy who can fix this. Only that it's no guy but a gal and she doesn't really like it if people call her that. The only one who ever calls her gal is my dad and he's-"

"Paula!" Sirella shouted, reminding her friend that no one cared for those details right now.

"Right, right!" the young woman hissed. Instead of caring for Dan, Paula jumped back to her feet and hurried over to the strange, crystalline structure. She placed her hands on the structure and looked for something.

"What are you doing? The Marshal is over _here_! And he's dying!" Sirella protested.

"He's _infested_." Paula corrected her. "That's not the same as dying. Unless he retracted the original strain of the virus, in that case you might want to stand back a little. You know, just in case he's gonna explode." That inspired so much confidence. "Now, where is it..."

"Paula?! He needs you now and not in five-" Sirella screamed. That's when Paula turned around.

"I know. I KNOW! I'm trying to get some help, so get off my back, will'ya? Unless you happen to know a better way to get us out of this mess!" she told her friend.

"I don't even know what you're trying to do! You don't share your plans with anyone!"

"I'm trying to call home, that's what I'm doing."

"How are you going to do that?"

"I would show you if you would just _shut up_ for two minutes and let me hear my own thoughts!" Paula screamed.

"I... I'm...I'm going...to die..." Dan groaned.

"You are _not_ gonna die!" Paula shouted at him. "Infestation doesn't kill! It only enslaves!"

"Sounds...even worse...than dying." the Marshal gasped and looked up at Sirella. "I don't...want to end up...like that thing...that...Stukov-thing..."

"I understand." Sirella whispered. "I can't summon a psi-blade, but I can see if I can find a shovel."

"Sirella, do me a favor..." Dan gasped.

"As long as it doesn't involve human orifices, then yes. Human orifices are disgusting." the Protoss mumbled.

"Tell my people..." the Marshal told her. "...tell my people..."

"Yes?"

"Tell...them...Paula Kerrigan is to blame for everything!"

"I will! I will let everyone know who's to blame for all of this." Sirella agreed. "Everyone will know the truth."

"I hate you two so much right now." Paula growled when she heard that.

"We hate you too!" the two replied.

"Ugh, next time I'm traveling alone..." the young woman growled before focusing her attention on the weird crystalline structure right in front of her. "Now...how about we have a little talk, you and I." Her words weren't directed at either Dan or Sirella. Instead, she placed her hand on the crystal and closed her eyes. Right now, her powers were virtually non-existent. Worst timing ever? Perhaps. However, what was happening right now was actually not that uncommon. On the contrary, Paula had a long track record when it came to, uhm, performance issues. And even she wouldn't deny that her timing was horrible. Yet no matter how whimsical her powers might be, her knowledge still remained. And thanks to her Uncle Karax, she knew exactly what she was doing right now.

Well...almost.

"Paula, what are you doing?" Sirella demanded to know.

"What I was telling you before: I'm trying to call home!" Paula shot back. Right now she had to concentrate on the task at hand. Literally. Her powers were barely there anymore. They would return. Eventually. But until then she was just as boring and ordinary as any other person on...on...

"Hey, Marshal! What's the name of this world again?" Paula asked when she looked over her shoulder.

"Go...kill...yourself..." was the only answer she received.

"Guess I have to be less subtle then." Paula mumbled and stared at the crystal in front of her again. "Okay, here we go. Let's see if I can remember all the stuff Uncle Karax taught me." Even though her powers were almost gone right now, some of them remained with her. She was never fully without them. As long as even one tiny spark remained, it would be enough to connect to the crystal. And when Paula felt the inert energies lying dormant inside this ancient relic, she took a deep breath, braced herself and decided to dive right into it, heading towards what felt like an ancient and alien consciousness. And when they touched...

* * *

As he glanced over at the small crystal resting inside its tank, he couldn't help but smile. This was it. This was _it_! Finally! Oh, how long had he waited to get his hands on something like this? Sure, it hadn't been easy to convince Swann to build a tank for this thing. And it hadn't been easy to convince Commander Horner to allow for this to happen. Then again, they had also allowed him to put a goddamn Zerg-sample in the vet-tank right next to the first one. He still was amazed by his verbal skills. How masterfully he had told them that this research would benefit them all!

Not for one second did he believe what Swann had told him:

That they had just allowed him to do this because he had annoyed the living hell out of them.

Na, that had been a joke by his good friend Rory Swann. Because everyone knew that he, Egon Stetmann, was by no means annoying.

Oh no!

As he stared at his two test-subjects, he felt a sense of pride. The left tank contained what could be considered something straight from a horror movie. It wasn't big and a part of Stetmann hoped that it would stay like this. Unfortunately, he was pretty certain that this thing would become much larger. When he had put the sample into the vat-tank, it had tripled its size within less than four hours. Only after all the nutrients had been devoured it had stopped growing. But that didn't mean that it was starving. Oh no, it was still alive and kicking. It only waited for more food to devour. So far it hadn't been picky about what Stetmann had thrown into that tank. Zerg-physiology was truly fascinating. He wouldn't be surprised if this thing could extract nutrients from a stone.

Under normal circumstances this specimen would be enough to keep him busy for months, maybe even years. However, that pulsing sack of green goo was only one part of his current research project. The other one was inside the vat-tank right next to it.

As menacing and nightmare-inducing the Zerg-sample was, the same couldn't be said about those crystal resting inside the other tank. Stetmann smiled as he walked towards the unknown crystal. However, when he came too close to the one with the Zerg-sample inside, the strange object started to react. Violently.

"Eeeeep!" The scientist screamed like a little girl when the biological sample smashed against the reinforced glass of the tank and jumped to the side. Had this thing sensed him approaching? How? It had no eyes and Stetmann hadn't found any traces of sensory organs. Or did it possess some sorts of psionic abilities? Was that even possible? Zerg were able to use psionics. Not a Hydralisk, of course not. But they were able to sense them, to listen to their master's command. That being said...

...could it be that a single cell of a Zerg could have psionic abilities?

"Huh, I guess I have to look into the possibility of such a thing." Stetmann mused. He grabbed his datapad and pressed the record button.

"Zerg sample recovered by Raynor's Raiders." he spoke out loud. "Date: October 6th, 2504. Sample appeared dead when brought in, including tissue necrosis. However, tests now reveal frantic cellular activity." He grimaced when he remembered what had happened mere moments ago. "And it's moving." A sigh escaped his lips when he thought about what he had learned so far just by staring at that thing. "This defies everything I understand about biology. I'm tracking massive generational changes in each cell. In the last hour, this thing has evolved more than humans did in 100,000 years." Which either meant that this thing was pretty fast or humans were pretty slow. Probably both. And then Stetmann said the one thing only mad scientists in cheap movies say: "If I can harness this, it could lead to huge military innovations for the Raiders." Right, because that has never ever backfired in the history of humankind.

It was probably a good thing that Matt and Rory were too busy with other things. If they knew what their "chief scientist" was doing, they would probably throw those samples out of the next airlock. And Stetmann with it.

He stopped the recording and thought about all the things he could do. As long as they would let him, that is. Still, as fascinating (and gross) this thing was, it wasn't the crown jewel of his lab. Oh no! The real treasure was right next to it. Stetmann turned around and when he looked at the other tank, he could see the golden crystals inside it emitting a faint light.

Yes, researching Zerg was spectacular. However, their biology, which also served as the base of their technology, was just that: Biological. No matter how evolved a Zerg-cell was, it was still a cell. And therefore, it was comparable to the cells inside Stetmann's body. An infested would probably argue against that point of view, but to the scrawny scientist the Protoss were much more, well, _alien_ than the Zerg. The Zerg were claws and teeth, wrapped inside carapace and muscle. The Protoss were mysteries shrouded in even more mysteries.

And that crystal? To Stetmann it was the ultimate mystery.

He pressed a button on his datapad and started a new recording.

"Protoss crystal sample recovered by Raynor's Raiders, July the tenth, 2504." Stetmann started. "I placed the crystal in a saline solution for storage. Its density has increased by 553% in the last twelve hours. Where does it get energy or raw materials for that?" he wondered. It was truly a baffling thing to happen. The Zerg-sample had gone into hibernation once it had consumed everything there was to consume. But this thing? It just continued to grow on its own! "I have a _terrible_ suspicion that it's...connecting to the show somehow." Terrible and magnificent. "If Swann suspects, he'll drop it out of the airlock, and that would be a tragedy." Yep. Especially since he would throw Stetmann out of that airlock as well. "This sample could lead to huge breakthroughs for the Raiders." And then he looked at that beautiful crystal. A part of Stemann felt inclined to touch it. The way it pulsed was almost...hypnotic.

"I just have to be careful, and if there's any sign that it will harm the Hyperion, I'll destroy the crystal myself." That's what he told himself. However, a not-so-small part of him knew that he was just lying at himself. This thing...was magical!

Yeah, that wasn't exactly a very scientific description. But it was true. The crystal was the exact opposite of the Zerg-sample. Just staring at this thing was enough to put Stetmann's mind at ease. Where the Zerg-sample was vile and savage, this crystal was calm and peaceful. He could stare at this beautiful thing all day long. And that was exactly what was happening.

Stetmann didn't even realize how his gaze became unfocused while looking at the crystal. It was just so...so...

"...beautiful." he whispered. It was as if this thing wasn't even a mere object but a living organism. And that wasn't everything. As the self-proclaimed scientist stared at the crystal, it almost felt as if it was looking back at him. It wasn't something he could describe, and it certainly wasn't something he would talk about. They would just tell him that he had lost it. Again.

A weird and empty grin appeared on his face. The only thing missing was drool dripping from his chin. After a while a beeping noise caught his attention and he turned away. The sound was coming from the console nearby. Oh, it had finished the scans! Outstanding! Suddenly Stetmann felt giddy excitement and hurried over to the console, his datapad still in his hand. He downloaded his logs into the console and created a few new folders where all those delicious data would go. Oh, he could hardly wait for-

Stetmann's thoughts were cut short when suddenly the door to the lab opened and a man with broad shoulders stepped inside, walking as if he owned this place...

...which was actually pretty damn accurate.

"Commander!" Egon Stetmann beamed. "The alien artifact is all secure in the lab, Sir!" From the corner of his eyes he could see the third magical object inside his lab. Truth to be told: He still had no idea what to make of it. But who could claim to have ever been close to a Xel'Naga-artifact? "You know, seeing it got me thinking about my special projects-"

"Whoa, slow down, Setmann." Commander Raynor interrupted him and stopped right in front of the scrawny scientist. The Commander's broad shoulders made him look as if he was triple the size of Stetmann. And the scientist noticed how tired the Commander looked. Like... _really_ tired. "What do you mean _"projects"_? You doing some kinda research down here?" his boss wanted to know.

Signs of embarrassment hushed over Stetmann's face and fiddled with the datapad in his hands.

"Yeah, well, not yet, Sir." he admitted. "I still need some additional specimens to get things going. Once I get those, we can make some big improvements to our weapon systems and tactics!" He could see the skepticism on the Commander's face. Had Horner already talked with him about Stetmann's screw-ups? Oh gosh, he sure hoped not! Much to his relief Commander Raynor just shrugged his shoulders and said: "Well, I'm all for that. What do you need?"

Yes.

Yes!

OH, HELL YEAH!

The scrawny scientist did his best to hide his excitement. With the Commander in his back, he could do whatever he wanted to do! Minus blowing the ship up. But that wasn't part of the plan anyway. Egon didn't have to think for long to tell the Commander what he needed. He pressed a few buttons on his datapad and suddenly a list appeared right in front of his eyes. A long list. A _very_ long list. Perhaps too long. So instead of just telling his boss what he needed...

"All kind of things! I've entered the details into our database. If you run into something on a mission that we need, you'll be notified automatically."

"Just try not to blow up the ship, okay Stetmann?" Raynor asked. His voice sounded both annoyed and exhausted, but Egon was too excited to care about that. He felt the urge to say: "No promises!" but managed to bit on his tongue just in time.

"I will...do my best, Sir!" the scientist replied.

"I'm sure you do." Jim growled before looking at the two tanks right next to them. "Wait, is that a Zerg inside that tank?"

"Uhm...didn't Captain Horner tell you?"

"Tell you what? That we got Zerg on bord?" Raynor asked back. "No, he forgot that part. What the hell, Stetmann!" Panic started to creep through Egon's mind. Oh no, he had just managed to get the Commander's approval, and now he was about to lose it again!

"It's...uhm...it's not Zerg! Not really! It's...it's actually human, haha!" the scrawny scientist lied, trying to ease the Commander's mind.

"That thing is _human_?!" Jim gasped. "Hey, I might not be a wizkid when it comes to science and stuff, but I've never seen a picture of something like _that_ growing inside a human being." he said.

"Well..." Stetmann whined when he realized that he should think more carefully about what kind of bullshit he wanted to say in order to make people feel less, well, terrified. "...that's because I modified my own genes with that of a Zerg and-"

"You did WHAT?!"

Okay, Egon _really_ had to work on how to create a good excuse. Especially since excuses were meant to _not_ make things worse!

"I, uhm...I meant that I added a tiny bit of Zerg-genes to the mix. Nothing bad. Not infested! Oh no! Just a little bit." the scientist mumbled.

"Define _little_." Raynor demanded to know.

"Fifty perc-"

"FIFTY PERCENT?!" his boss screamed.

"I mean thirty! Ten! Five! Three! Less than 0.5!" Stetmann corrected himself over and over again. "Yes, 0.5 percent! Not fifty! Haha, I just mixed up the numbers, that's all."

" _Stetmann_..." the Commander growled. "This ain't another deck 8-incident, is it?"

"What? No! Of course not! This thing isn't connected to the waste removal system that's-"

"That's not what I mean, man!" the Commander cut him short. "I don't want to lose another deck of the Hyperion because you had a brilliant idea. And when it comes to feces and Zerg; I would rather run naked through deck 8 than be in a room with a Zerg."

"I got this under control, Commander. Really, I swear. There won't be another deck 8-incident." Stetmann swore.

"You bet there won't! Otherwise we will run out of decks real soon! And just so you know-" However, before he could finish that sentence, the door to the lab was opened and the newest honorary member of the Raiders' stepped inside.

"Oh, so it is actually a real lab." Ariel Hanson mused. "And here I thought that Mister Horner was trying to make fun of me." Only then she spotted both Raynor and Stetmann and blinked in surprise. "Oh, I'm sorry. Did I interrupt you? If you want then I can just wait outside and-"

"No! It's fine." Jim cut her short and sighed.

"Wh-who is that, Commander?" Egon asked. The woman was an unusual sight. Not because she was a woman, there were plenty of women among the Raiders. No, what seemed unusual was the fact that this woman didn't look like either a soldier or a technician. Instead she looked like a scientist.

A fellow scientist? Here? On the Hyperion?

"Agh, guess introductions are in order." the Commander growled and pointed with his hand at Egon. "Doctor Hanson, this is Egon Stetmann. Since the Raiders are mostly made out of guys and gals who pretend to be soldiers, it's only fair that we have a guy who acts as if he's a scientist."

"H-hey!" Stetmann protested. "That's not fair, I'm a fairly-"

"And that's..." Raynor simply continued. "...is _Doctor_ Ariel Hanson." The way he was pronouncing Hanson's title sounded as if he wanted to stress the fact that she was an actual doctor. Of something. "She'll be staying with us for a while. And since she knows about science and stuff-"

"Especially stuff." Hanson snickered.

"...I expect you to be a perfect host. Got that?"

"Oh, I'm sure that she will be a good host, Commander." Egon beamed, which earned him a sour look from his boss.

"I was talking to you, man!" the Commander barked, but then he just groaned and rubbed his eyes. "You know what? I ain't got no nerve to deal with this right now. I need a drink. A stiff one." He then turned around and faced Doctor Hanson. "Tell you what, Doc. You and Stetmann over here, you can have all the fun. Should you need anything, then just give the word. When in doubt, go and ask Matt. He will get you everything you need. As for you..." That's when Raynor looked at Stetmann once more. "...no mutated monsters, no _"improvements"_ to the ship's systems, no _"new software for the navigational systems that I forgot to mention"_ , and, and I'm so dead serious about this: absolutely NO messing with the water purification system! Understood?" When Egon heard that, he raised his hand.

"Actually, I thought about what happened and think I know where it went wrong. If you would allow me to do it again then-

"STETMANN!" Raynor screamed, and perhaps he just didn't punch him right here and now because Ariel Hanson was present. "If you even think of touching any system, then I will make you clean deck 8! With a toothbrush. _Your_ toothbrush. Did I make myself clear?!"

"Yes, Sir." the scrawny scientist mumbled. An amused Ariel Hanson couldn't help but look at them in surprise.

"That sounds like an, uhm, interesting story. Care to share?"

"No!" both men said at the exact same time. They looked at each other in surprise, but that moment only lasted a short moment.

"Ugh, whatever." Raynor groaned. "I need a drink. Knock yourself out, Doc. This is the best we have to offer. It's not much but maybe you can squeeze a bit more out of it."

"I'll do my best." Ariel chirped. Raynor then simply walked out of the lab and left those two alone. And when he was gone...

"So, this is your lab?" Ariel asked and looked around. "It's...nice."

"Yes, it is." Egon replied. He could feel how his chest started to burst with pride simply because someone acknowledged this place as his lab. "It's not much but it gets the job done. So to speak."

"Ha, my old lab is probably crawling with Zerg right now, so this place is paradise when compared to it." she told him.

"Well, you don't have to be afraid of Zerg crawling all over this place. I only got one and...errr...I mean...nevermind." Egon stuttered. Ariel smiled and turned her head around until she looked at the vat-tank with the Zerg-specimen inside.

"Yes, I already noticed. You grew this, right? Where did you get the sample from?" Ariel wanted to know. There was no amusement or anger in her voice. If the Commander, the Captain or Swann would ask him that question, it usually sounded like: "WHERE DID YOU GET THAT FROM?!" It was nice to be not yelled at. Really.

"I... uhm...I scrapped the sample off the boot of one marine." Egon admitted.

"Oh..." Ariel mumbled. "That soldier probably didn't even realize what he had on his foot, hmm?"

"I don't know." Stetmann replied. "His leg was the only part that came back from the battlefield."

"Ah. Shouldn't have asked." the Doctor whispered before her look wandered over to the other vat-tank. Stetmann could see the confusion on her face, and it filled his chest with giddy joy. She didn't know what it was! Oh, explaining things to fellow scientists were so much fun!

"What is _that_?" Ariel asked and pointed her finger at the other vat-tank.

"That? That is a Protoss' crystal." Egon declared with nothing but pride in his voice. "Pretty neat, right?"

"So, this is Protoss?" Ariel whispered and leaned forward until her face was only centimeters away from the thick glass of the tank. "It looks..."

"Beautiful?" Stetmann offered.

"Cold." his fellow scientist replied, which caused Stetmann to wince on the inside. Oh no! She didn't like it?

"Well, it certainly isn't as warm as a Zerg..." Egon joked. "...but I think it's the single most fascinating thing I have ever seen."

"It doesn't try to bite my face off, so it got that going for it." Arial mumbled. That's when suddenly a frown appeared on her face. "What's that?"

"What's what?" Egon wanted to know and leaned forward until both their faces were so close to the glass of the tank that their noses were almost touching it.

"I swear I just saw a spark..." Ariel muttered.

"That can't be. The sensors show only some low-level energy that-" But Egon didn't get much further. Instead...

* * *

Stetmann forced himself not to stare at the crystal. The glowing orb of energy floating inside the tank was mesmerizing. Sure, when Swann had heard about this development, he had urged the Commander to flush the crystal out of the airlock. And Egon right with it. Thank God the Commander was too busy right now to deal with that. Especially since they managed to retrieve another part of that strange Xel'Naga-artifact. Under normal circumstances Stetmann would have assumed that the boss would have told him to work his ass off, figuring out how that strange device works. Under normal circumstances.

Then again: When had the circumstances ever been normal?

However, right now the Commander seemed to be preoccupied with other things. Rumor said it that they almost had had an encounter with the infamous Queen of Blades, and that her mere presence had caused the Commander to lock himself inside his cabin and drink himself into a stupor. Stetmann usually didn't care about gossip but it was pretty obvious that the Queen of Blades was a sore topic for his boss.

Then again, it allowed Stetmann to focus on his other projects.

Speaking of projects...

"The crystal is growing." Egon explained while his voice was recorded. "And it appears to have something-some sort of...antimatter?" Gravitational anomaly? Non-standard phenomenon? - hovering over it." He really had to come up with a better name. "I'm now convinced that the crystal is drawing power from the ship, but in ways so subtle as to be undetectable." Oh, Swann would roast his butt should he ever find out.

"It is non-organic but has a molecular structure as diverse and complex as any organism's." Egon continued and threw a quick glance over to the other tank, where the Zerg-sample was happily absorbing nutrients. At least Stetmann was thinking that it was happy. Who knew? Maybe he should ask the Queen of Blades should they ever meet her.

"It's developed an intricate matrix that makes it though and surprisingly flexible. An alloy based on this crystal would have impressive damage mitigation. The structure of this matrix also suggests some sort of energy-storage system. There might be something to this." And then he took a deep breath. "The Protoss are so far beyond us. We must seem amoeboid to them." Was that even a word? Well, it was now. And once he was...

* * *

...done. Seriously, that's what he had thought. There was no way in hell they should have survived that. Landing on a planet infested with Protoss extremists was one thing. Landing on a planet infested with Protoss extremists while there was a supernova in progress was a whole different thing. Landing on a planet infested with Protoss extremists while there was a supernova in progress, with the expressed goal of stealing a sacred artifact of untold power?

Let's never do that again.

Sure, Egon had sat that one out, doing his usual science-stuff inside his lab while the Commander had fought down below on the planet's surface. But Stetmann had really crossed his fingers that everything would turn out okay, which is basically the same as sharing a foxhole on the front lines. Right?

Right...

He looked over his shoulder and spotted the slender frame of Ariel Hanson. His colleague hadn't said anything in quite some time, ever since contact to her people on Haven had been lost. It was brutally obvious to anyone that she was worried. To everyone except Stetmann, who was too busy staring at his two "research partners". Speaking of which...

"The protoss crystal continues to grow." he spoke while his datapad was recording his latest findings. "I no longer think it is drawing power from the ship. It's getting pure energy from that sphere above it, which presents a new worry. What's it doing it all that power?" A pretty darn good question actually. "Is it going to release it explosively? I have to keep Swann away from the sampler; he will definitely shoot it out of the airlock. With me strapped to it."

A-yup.

"I tried scraping smaller samples, but all my tools broke." Even Swann's state-of-the-art, irreplaceable, one-of-the-kind blowtorch that no one was allowed to touch. "Luckily, I found some cast-off chips floating in the tank. Wonder how they came off? In any case, the chips revealed more of the matrix. It's keeping the energy there in a vortex. How does it move the energy so fast? It may be the fabled protoss warp technology. For all its complexity, the matrix is as solid as the strongest structure. Hm, I wonder if I could apply these dynamics to our own structures? Gotta make a note..." Egon leaned to the side and scribbled his thoughts down on a piece of paper.

"I'm learning so much from this crystal..." he said mostly to himself. "...but I can't help feeling as if it's learning from me, if that makes sense."

No, it doesn't. He sighed and yawned.

"Late. Tired. Sleep now." He stopped the recording and yawned once more.

"Good night, Ariel. I' leaving the kill-switch for the Zerg-sample on, so you just have to press it should it break free again." Spoken like a true professional. And when he turned around...

* * *

...Stetmann couldn't hide his uneasiness anymore, at least when he was all by himself. He knew that he was lousy at keeping a straight face when there was something wrong. That's why everyone invited him to play Poker. Still, as he stared at the sample, he knew that he had to keep his worries to himself, especially now that everyone was so on edge.

The fact that they had just found out that the Mobius Foundation was run by none other than Valerian Mengsk, the son of the man the Raiders had sworn to get rid of. Egon even remembered how someone had mentioned "...not to tell Stetmann about this, or otherwise the whole ship knows within 5 minutes." It had been the moment when Egon had walked into the meeting for senior officers only because he had tried to hide inside the restroom so Swann wouldn't find him after the engineer had found out about what had happened to his blowtorch.

Whatever.

Stetmann sighed and focused on the sample right in front of him.

"I've been staring at that anomalous sphere above the crystal." he said as his datapad recorded his voice. "It's obviously an energy emitter, but it has such strong containment that the crystal can slowly draw power from it via some method I don't understand. That gives me an idea of using our own containment technology. I could modify our SCV manufacturing process to double capacity with no increased risk." he said, only to hastily add an "I think."

That's when suddenly the terminal right next to the tank started to beep. Egon frowned and walked over to it. When he looked at the display, his eyes widened in surprise and joy.

"Breakthrough!" he yelled when he realized that those were the results of the last scan he had started a few hours ago. Suddenly his anxiety started to fade away when he read those numbers. "The energy in this crystal is not kept in a vortex pattern! It was warping the energy around so fast that I couldn't detect it. In an odd coincidence, the warping slowed just enough for my sensors to pick it up." And all he had to do was to modify the sensors of the Hyperion without anyone telling about it. Eh, they hadn't found out till now, so everything was good.

"Not sure how or why." he sighed. "Every time I reach my wits' end with this sample, something happens by...chance...and I get a breakthrough." Egon looked at the tank and felt how a cold shiver ran down his spine.

"Is it helping me?" It was a crazy thought but could this crystal contain some sort of, well, _consciousness_? Egon sighed. "Clearly I've been working too many hours. I'm going to lose some more credits on Lost Vikings." And when he turned away...

* * *

...he knew he was in deep shit. Stetmann looked over his shoulder, making sure that there was no one inside the lab. Now that Ariel was no longer on board, his lab felt so big and empty. Even the half-disassembled adjutant didn't help fight the feeling that he was all alone. Still, right now Egan was glad that no one was here.

"Okay, I may be exceeding the boundaries of good science, but I am now sure this crystal has some sort of...if not sentience, at least...direction." Oh, he so couldn't tell the Commander about that. Then again, the Commander was busy staring at his own Protoss crystal, the small green one standing on the other side of the lab. It seemed as everyone needed their own private crystal to stare at.

"I put a broken nano-fabricator in the tank last night, and today it's fixed." Egon didn't mention that he also put a dead cockroach into the tank with the Zerg-sample last night too. Let's just say that the cockroach didn't get... _fixed_. It had probably been a bad idea in the first place and it would haunt him in his dreams for the rest of his life.

"And it can accomplish things it shouldn't." Egon continued. "If I can reverse engineer this fabricator, I could do amazing things with automated repair, or even near-instant manufacturing of advanced AI weaponry. Possibilities are limitless." Seriously, so many researchers were focusing on Zerg. Zerg here, Zerg there. Why was no one trying to understand how Protoss' tech was working?

"On the less upbeat end of things, the level of energy stored in the crystal's matrix has not increased at all, despite the fact that the crystal continues to grow. So it must be emitting that energy somehow, some...where."

The question was: Where did it go?

Once Egon would find out, he...

* * *

...had never felt so excited and frightened at the same time. Everyone was busy. The Raiders were preparing for war. In a few hours they would join up with parts of the Dominion's fleet. And then their next jump would take them to Char, the place where no sane person would go if they had a choice.

However, the Commander had made that choice for them. And now it was their job to follow his orders.

Stetmann didn't try to think about any of that. The last few months had been...both the best and worst time of his life. So much death and destruction, yet also so much fun and discoveries. And Swann had told him that he "almost liked" him now. Almost! But even then Stetmann felt tired when he looked at the crystal inside the tank. Hard to believe that it had grown this big. He still remembered that tiny shard he had put inside the tank. In a way, this thing was like a baby to him. A good, well-behaving baby. The other baby right next to it was not as nice. Ever since it had grown teeth, the Zerg-sample had tried to bite his head off three times when he had opened the tank in order to take a sample.

"Start recording." a tired Stetmann said and his datapad did as it was told.

"All of the containment and reinforced structural integrity theorems I've developed from studying this crystal are starting to...well... _crystallize_." What a horrible pun. "I think we might be able to contain energies that once required huge machines. Or even manufacture structures capable of hot landings from orbital origins with acceptable stresses." But then Egon sighed and sat down right in front of the tank.

"I'm a sham." he whispered, not caring that his voice was still being recorded. "I haven't truly learned anything from this crystal." Now he knew why so many people were rather working on Zerg than Protoss. The Zerg-biology was far less confusing than this crystal. It hurt to admit but...

...the Protoss were just too advanced for him to comprehend.

"I've just observed the smallest details from it and somehow wrangled a few tidbits when the crystal... _helped me_." Another sigh escaped his lips. "I don't understand how the Protoss can possess technology of this magnitude and not rule the known universe. Perhaps they simply don't want to?" It sounded strange from a human perspective, but from what Raynor had told him, many Protoss weren't into dominating other lifeforms. Purge them with fire, yes. Rule them? Not so much. It seemed as if the Zerg and humans had more in common than you'd think.

"This will be my last entry on this sample." Stetmann mumbled and suddenly his expression turned serious. "I figured out where it is putting all that excess energy. It's feeding the Hyperion. Subtly helping to power the ship, balancing out some of the more ragged systems." So basically, all of them. "It's giving of itself, and has been since it got here. Swann is excited that the ship is running so well, but he has no idea why. And I'm not going to tell him." Not until the upcoming battle would be over, anyway. Stetmann wanted to say something else, but when he opened his mouth, all he did was...

...nothing.

He stopped the recording and grabbed the bottle of booze he had sneaked out of the bar the other day. Egon opened it and closed his eyes.

"Well, should we survive the upcoming battle then maybe I can find me a Protoss one day and ask him about what you truly are, my friend. Here's too us!" And as he downed the booze, he...

* * *

...stepped back and gasped in surprise.

"What was that?" Stetmann gasped. Next to him, Doctor Hanson stumbled back as well. "Did you see that?" the scrawny scientist muttered. For a second, he thought he had seen...something. Himself. And that crystal.

"I... I don't...I don't know..." Ariel stuttered. She looked visibly shocked as if she had just seen something truly horrible. All they could do was to stare at the crystal until...

"Doctor Hanson. This is the bridge. Bridge to Doctor Hanson." the voice of Matt Horner spoke to them through the internal comms. "Doctor Hanson, please report to the bridge."

"I... I better go." a disturbed Ariel said and stumbled out of the room. For a moment Egon thought about following her. He still could see those images inside his mind. He could see himself, the crystal and... and...

A sudden pulse of light caught his attention. It came from the crystal and as he stared at it, the soothing light caused him to think about... think about...about...

"What was I doing right now again?" Egon mumbled before he shook his head and turned away. For some odd reason he felt as if someone was trying to tell him that he _wasn't ready to know the truth right now_. That he still had a long way to go before. And not just him but humanity in general...

That's when...

"Stetmann. Bridge. Now!" Horner barked over the loudspeakers. Three words, and a lot less friendly than what Horner had said to Ariel Hanson.

Well, better not let the Captain wait. Especially after that unfortunate shower-incident. When Stetmann stepped out of the lab, he didn't notice how a small sphere made out of energy appeared inside the tank, right above the crystal. And that sphere of energy...

* * *

...was exactly what Paula had been looking for.

"WHAT IS THAT?!" Sirella squealed when suddenly a spark of light appeared right in the middle of the ruined lab. Paula turned away from the huge crystal and sighed in relief.

"Phew, thank the Swarm!" she mumbled and walked right up towards the ball of energy and smiled. "Hey, thanks for coming out. I need your help. I have to-" the young woman started to talk to the ball of light until it suddenly interrupted her and started to chirp something.

"Yes, I know. I'm sorry, I didn't want to-" Paula started, only to interrupted once more as the sphere started to, well, rant.

"Yeah, you're right. I wasn't paying attention and-"

" _Doo-weeeee-driiiiiiii!"_

"Of course. But these two didn't know so-"

" _Squiiiii-buuuuu-wriiiiii!"_

"Yes, I should have asked you for permission first. I was just-"

" _Uuuu-briiii-siiiii!"_

"Oh, now you just sound like my Mum." Paula muttered. "Listen, I'm sorry. I should have asked you before coming down here, I know. It's just-"

" _Di-dooooo-ziiiiiii!"_

"I know. I know, I will make sure to fix this. But I need-"

" _Driiiiiiiii!"_

"Yes."

" _Du-briiiiii!"_

"I understand."

Sirella watched in disbelief how her friend argued with that weird sphere of light. However, what was even weirder was the fact that Paula was actually accepting whatever that sphere was telling her. And the fact that she looked like a five-year-old right now that was getting chastised by her parents right now.

" _Driiii-Du-Squiiiii-Droooooo..."_

"Yes, you are absolutely right. And I'm really sorry. It's just that-"

"AGH!" Dan groaned in pain and that's when everyone turned their attention at him, including the sphere of light that was flying over to him and stopped right above the Marshal.

"What...what is this?" he groaned. He probably thought that this was the light you see when you die. Which wasn't that far away from the truth anyway.

" _Driii-du-wriiiiii?"_ the sphere made out of light chirped and Paula bit on her lips.

"Yes. He needs help and-"

" _Duuu-di-druuuuu?"_ Whatever that thing was saying, it caused Paula to look down and clench her hands into fists.

"Yes..." she whispered. "...it's my fault." Much to Sirella's surprise, she could see how a golden tear streamed down her friend's face.

" _Druuu-wiii-draaaaa."_

"I know, I know!" Paula whined. "I want to make up for it! But I need help! Please, I know you can contact my folks. I just need to get word out that-" But that's when she cut short again.

" _Trrrrrrriiiiiiii!"_ the sphere of light chirped and bounced up and down right above Dan, who was unable to do anything but stare at that light.

"Yes, you're right." Paula muttered before looking the Marshal into the eyes. "Marshal, I want to tell you that I'm really sorry that your innards are about to explode and-"

" _TRRRRRIIIIIIIII!"_ the light screeched and Paula winched when she heard the shrill sound.

"Okay, okay! I'm sorry, Marshal. I didn't want to hurt anyone, I shouldn't have brought you into this situation. I thought I could do this on my own, but I'm clearly not ready yet." She then looked at the sphere of light. "Satisfied?"

" _Brrriiiiiii!"_ the sphere of light replied. It almost sounded...happy?

"Thanks." Paula mumbled. "So, does this mean you can tell my parents that-"

" _Druuu-wiiiii-breeeeee."_ the glowing ball interrupted her and Paula's eyes widened when she heard that.

"What? No! You don't have to do that! I just need-" Paula shouted but by then it was already too late. Suddenly the ball of light exploded in a shower of sparks and everyone had to close their eyes since it was just so bright. And then...

"... aaaaaaaaAAAAAAH!" a male voice screamed. A very familiar male voice. And then there was the sound of something soft landing on something that was soft as well.

"GHAAAAAHAHAHA!" Dan screamed in pain. "JUST KILL ME AND BE DONE WITH IT, DAMMIT!" Both Paula and Sirella had to blink several times until their eyesight was working again. And when they saw what had happened...

"Is that...?!" Sirella gasped when she noticed that there was a person lying on Dan. And not just any person. It was a man.

"Uhhhh...I swear, Sarah, the next time you say that _I'm gonna like this_ , then _you_ can sleep on the couch." the man groaned and rolled off Dan, who gasped in pain and agony. And when the man looked up and spotted Paula, the young woman's face lost all its color.

"Paula?!" the man asked.

"Dad?!" Paula whined as she looked at Jim Raynor in disbelief.


	14. Chapter 14

**Thanks for all the favs and reviews. And thanks to Bjlu0900 for beta-reading two chapters at once. Also, this story now has more than 100k words. Which is rather stupid when considering that it was just a quick story about what happened after my other story.**

 **Also, to spoil a few things, there is no flashback in this chapter. However, you do get an extra-dose of fatherly Jim Raynor who joins the party. I hope that makes up for it.**

* * *

 **Chapter 14**

 **Leave the Rest to the Professionals**

* * *

''Paula?!" James Raynor gasped when he looked up and recognized the young woman standing right in front of him. And as if to confirm his suspicions...

''Dad?!" Paula Kerrigan shot back. There was a short and awkward moment of silence until-

"What are _you_ doing here?!" both of them shouted at each other at the exact same time.

"Whadda'ya mean?" James Raynor then said. "I was just about to leave Ramelow with your mother when she suddenly told me that she felt weird. And then you just appeared out of thin air!"

"I didn't appear out of thin air!" Paula protested. "You did! Look around, does this look like Ramelow to you?!" Only then her father looked around and the expression that appeared on his face was one of utter disbelief.

"What the hell...?" he whispered and studied the dark walls surrounding them. "Is this...wait a second. I know this place!" However, before he could finish that line of thoughts the person beneath him groaned in pain.

"Get off me, dammit!" Dan Bowski howled. "Just kill me! I don't care, make the pain stop!"

"Huh?" Jim mumbled and looked down, only to finally realize that he was lying on a man. A man that looked as if he was about to liquefy. "Who the hell are you?" But Marshal Bowski wasn't able to answer that question. Painful cramps started to ravage his entire body and Jim Raynor rolled off the man when he realized that something was wrong, very wrong.

"WHAT THE-?!" he screamed and jumped on his feet with the elegance of a young man.

"DAD, GET BACK! HE'S INFESTED!" Paula yelped. Her father looked at her in disbelief and shock.

"Infested? INFESTED?! There hasn't been a recorded case of infestation in over 800 years!" he shot back.

"Well, now there is!" his daughter whined. "And I'm partially responsible for it!" Only then Jim looked at the huge Protoss standing right next to his daughter.

"Is that true?" he wanted to know.

"Actually..." Sirella mused. "...I'd say that Paula is to 99 percent responsible for this."

"That's not what I mean!" Jim barked. "You found an active center of infection? Of Zerg?! How the hell did you even manage to do that?!" It almost sounded as if he was impressed and not angry.

"Well..." both Sirella and Paula mumbled and looked at each other. "...it's a long story and-"

"GHAAAAAAA!" Dan's screams cut them short and all eyes turned downwards, where he was starting to spasm. Foam was coming out of his mouth and there was the wet, ripping sound of tissue. Jim's eyes widened in shock when he realized what was about to happen next. He looked at his daughter and gestured her to do something.

"Paula, help him!"

"I... can't!" That answer was enough to make Jim stare at her in disbelief.

"Whadda'ya mean, you can't?!" her father protested. "This man's dying! You have to save him!"

"I CAN'T!" Paula suddenly yelled and pointed her finger at the crystal that was growing out of the wall right next to it. "I CANNOT DO IT! That's why I got _this_ guy over there to get some help. I asked him to get Mum!" Jim Raynor pulled a brow up when he heard that.

"And instead you got good old me." he mumbled.

"GHNNNNNNN!" Dan groaned again and rolled to the side, wrapping his arms around his belly while his belly was trying to do the same thing, only the other way around.

"Oh boy, this brings back a whole lot of bad memories." Jim muttered as he watched how Dan was fighting for his dear life. And about to lose it. However, instead of running away, James Raynor didn't hesitate one second. He knelt down right next to Dan and placed his hand on the other man's chest, pushing him down and making sure that the Marshal wouldn't hurt himself by accident.

"I don't want to sound like a demanding jerk, but at least some context would be nice." Jim muttered and looked at his daughter, then Sirella, and finally at Dan. "Anyone?" But before someone could enlighten him, the man lying right in front of him decided that he had waited long enough and that it was time to finally get the party started. Dan opened his mouth, ready to scream in pain. However, the only sound that escaped his throat was gargled squeal, a sound that didn't even sound human.

"By the Ancients!" Sirella whispered and stumbled backward until she smashed with her back into the wall behind her. Whatever was going on here, Jim had no time to be timid. He knelt down right next to the unknown man, placed his hands on Dan's shoulders and pressed him down. It wasn't as easy as it sounded, though. A human that was fighting for his dear life could mobilize a surprising amount of strength, enough to overwhelm an unsurprising foe. Or ally. There was a limit to how much a human could handle, sure. But Jim had seen some weird stuff. Like a doomed marine strangling a goddamn Zergling to death with his bare hands.

Then again, that had happened so long ago that Jim couldn't even say who the poor fellow had been. Heck, he couldn't even remember when he had last encountered a Zerg that had been a threat to him.

"Sirella! Help me, he's going into shock!" Jim barked. A stern look from him was enough to rip Sirella from her stupor.

"Y-yes!" the Protoss muttered and moved forward. She still seemed hesitant but the presence of Jim seemed to be enough to help her overcome her fear.

"The legs! Make sure he doesn't hurt himself!" Jim ordered and the much stronger Protoss did as she was told. Even though Sirella was no warrior, she had no problems with pinning Dan's legs down. At least at first. But Dan's strength proved to be quite a match as he kept fighting for his dear life. And as it turned out a desperate and dying man was actually more than a match for a Protoss artist who had never learned how to fight.

"Hurt himself?!" Sirella squealed. "What about hurting me?" But Jim had no time for this. He looked up at this daughter and gritted his teeth.

"Come on, Paula! We hold him down, you fix him!"

….

….

….

"I..." Paula whispered. "...can't."

There was a short moment of silence. Jim's glance was one of disbelief.

"Paula! There's no time for that, we have to help this man and-"

"I CAN'T!" Paula screamed, her voice filled with desperation. "It won't work, I overextended my powers, I cannot do anything right now!" Instead of being angry, Jim's facial features softened.

"Paula..." he said with a gentle tone in his voice. "...you can do this. I know it. Please. Just-" Beneath him Dan groaned again, as if to reinforce the urgency of the situation.

"Oh God...I can feel it..." the dying man groaned. From the corner of his eyes Jim could see how something slithered beneath the skin of Dan's belly, something that reminded him of a snake. Or a tentacle. Gosh, that certainly was something he hadn't missed in all those years.

"Paula, I don't know what happened. I'm sure that we can work it out. But first this man needs help. _Your_ help. And that means-" That's when suddenly a loud bang echoed through the abandoned lab. They all fell silent, even the squirming Marshal.

"What was that?" Jim whispered.

"I think I know..." Sirella whispered back. "...unfortunately."

Bang.

Bang!

BANG!

 **BANG!**

"Oh please no..." Dan groaned. Jim noticed the look of fear on his daughter's face.

"What the hell is that?" Jim mumbled. It was almost as if there was something clawing its way through walls made out of metal. Something big. Something big that was coming closer. And then...

"Kerrrrrrrigaaaaaaaaannnn..." A voice sounding like the moans of the damned echoed through the abandoned lab. Jim looked at his daughter once more, only this time his expression was one of utter disbelief. And horror.

"What. The hell. Is going on here?" he muttered.

"I could tell you..." his daughter mumbled. "...but I'm sure you wouldn't believe me."

"Try me." her father replied. He could see the frightened look on the face of his daughter. She was afraid. Not because of what was out there. No, she was afraid of Jim. Of what he would say. As a parent, Jim had excessive experience when it came to reading his own child's emotions. You don't have to be psionically gifted in order to know when your child feels guilty because she has screwed up.

"It's a long story..." Paula said, trying her best not to face the music.

"Paula, whatever it is you've done, I can only help if you tell me what's-"

 _"KERRRIGAAAAAAAAN!"_ an ungodly voice suddenly screamed. Before anyone could say anything, something smashed against the heavy door. Over and over again a creature possessing superior strength smashed itself against the reinforced steel. Jim's eyes widened in shock and disbelief as the metal of the door started to bulge.

"Oh hell, that brings back some bad memories." Jim whispered and looked around. "We have to get out of here!"

"There is no exit!" Paula whined. "We are trapped!" However, Jim's mind was already racing. As he looked around, he searched for something, anything that could help them in the current situation. Like, you know, a goddamn shotgun or something like that. Sadly, there were no firearms lying around. Then again, Jim had his doubts that anything short of a tank would stop that thing on the other side of the door. He had no idea what that thing was, but suddenly he remembered something that had happened so very long ago, a botched mission that had ended with him and some of his Raiders running through a wrecked research-station with a hideous Zerg/Protoss-hybrid on his tail.

Ah, good times!

"Please, tell me that you didn't manage to find a hybrid." Jim whined.

"I didn't manage to find a hybrid." Paula replied immediately, only to add a: "...it kinda found me."

"Oh, hell no! That is just-" Jim started.

"It's not a hybrid!" his daughter interrupted him. "Trust me, it's actually a funny story. If I tell you about it, you will probably laugh your ass off and-"

"GHAAAAAAAA!" Dan's screams of agony interrupted them and Jim gritted his teeth.

"No time for this. What is this place? Paula, where are we?" He looked around and a frown appeared on his face. Even though there was literally no time to smell the roses, Jim noticed a few details. This room, he had been here before. Standard confederate science-lab-layout, the stuff you could find on pretty much every battlecruiser back in the day.

However, the longer he looked around, the more details emerged. And with it a strange sense of nostalgia. Perhaps the biggest clue that this wasn't just another wreckage of yet another unnamed battlecruiser were the two objects hanging from the opposite wall. The first one looked like...something that once had been alive. It was dead. Hopefully. But Jim recognized Zerg when he saw it. And that thing, no matter how dead it was, was most _definitely_ Zerg.

The thing right next to this mummified carcass was not Zerg, that much was obvious too. It was a crystal. You could even see the vat-tanks from which these two things had spawned. Jim blinked once, twice, three times. And then...

"We're...this is..." He looked at his daughter in utter disbelief. "Hyperion?!" Paula flashed him an embarrassed smile.

"Surprise!" she said as if she was trying to make a joke. "Tadaaaaa!"

Before they could celebrate this moment (not that there was any reason for that), the creature on the other side of the door renewed its effort to gain access.

It was utter chaos.

Jim looked down and saw the writhing man beneath him, a man that was currently being devoured by his own entrails. While Jim wasn't the prime expert on Zerg-related topics in the family, he knew enough to know that this guy was one poor bastard. Even though Sirella was helping Jim pinning this guy to the ground, she too looked as if she was about to panic. And Paula?

She looked like she a five-year-old who got caught with her hand still in the cookie-jar.

" _Keeerrrriiigaaaaaaaan!"_ the nightmarish voice continued to scream from the other side of the door. Jim looked around, took a deep breath, closed his eyes and then...

"Sorry, pal. But trust me, you will thank me later for this." Jim said to Dan, who only managed to grunt in confusion. He barely noticed how Jim clenched his hand into a fist and knocked the Marshal out with one mean right hook. Both Paula and Sirella watched in disbelief.

"Dad, what-" Paula started but was cut short by her father.

"Not now!" he barked and got back up. "Sirella, grab this guy, we won't leave him behind. Paula!"

"Y-yes?" his daughter stuttered. Jim pointed with his finger at the crystal in the wall.

"That is a precursor-crystal, right? The ones Karax is always babbling about, that are so damn rare, yes?"

"Uh-huh."

"Heh..." Jim chuckled when he heard that. "...to think that we had such a treasure on board back in the day and didn't even know it. Oh Stetmann, guess you didn't see _that_ one comin'!" Jim would never consider himself an expert on Protoss-stuff. But if you live as long as he did, you pick up some things along the way. Especially if you hang out with a phasesmith that doesn't know when to shut up.

"Okay, tell this thing that we need help. I know you can talk to it. Tell it that we need our big hitter." There was no need to explain _who_ he was talking about. Besides, _she_ should probably realize that he was missing anyway. The question was if _she_ would realize it in time.

Unfortunately, he had no time to wait for this storm to just blow over. And so Jim did what he had always been good at.

He took over command.

"Okay, new game plan!" he told them as he walked over to a nearby crate that someone had left here. Jim pushed it aside before he knelt down in front of something that looked like an air vent and started to pull it open. "Sirella, you keep this guy close to you!" Jim ordered. "Should he wake up, knock him out again. Trust me, it's better this way."

"I... I don't know how to do that!" Sirella protested.

"Just him in the head really hard. Just not so hard that his brain will come out. If that happens, then you used too much force." Oh boy.

"B-but what about the infestation? Isn't he going to, uhm, explode or something like that?"

"Sirella!" Jim barked and looked over his shoulder. "There's no time for that right now. I need you to trust me with this. Understood? If you do as I say, then we will make it out of this. I promise." There had been times when people had loved his inspirational speeches. And while those words weren't exactly top material, they were enough to make Sirella nod.

"O-okay." she whispered before she grabbed the unconscious form of Dan Bowski and threw him over her shoulder. "Ihhhhhh! I can feel something slither on my back!"

"Protoss can't be infested. I know it's disgusting but you have to bear it for a while." Jim explained before he looked at Paula. "Kiddo, tell that damn crystal that we need more help. The nuclear option, if possible. If you know what I mean. And I don't want to sound rude or anything, but could you hurry?" He watched how his daughter swallowed hard and looked at the crystal. The doubts were all over her face. He knew that look. He knew it all too well.

"I guess it's Thursday again." he whispered. Even though those words weren't meant for Paula to hear, she still managed to do so. She bit on her lip and clenched her hands into fists, yet even then it was impossible to overlook that her whole body was shaking. Jim wanted to grab his little girl and tell her that everything was okay. But right now ,was not the time for that.

" _KEEERRRIIGAAAAAAAANNNN!"_ the creature on the other side of the door screamed as it continued to smash its body against the door. And from the looks of it, they were running out of time.

Jim tore the hatch from the air vent, which was a lot harder than one might think. But in the end he prevailed.

"Paula, get to it! We are running out of time!" he yelled.

"I...I..." he could only hear his daughter stutter. This complicated things. A lot. When Jim finally managed to tear the hatch away, he looked into the air vent and sighed in relief.

"Thank God, it's big enough. Sirella, take that guy. You take point." Jim ordered.

"B-but I don't know where to go!" Sirella protested.

"Don't worry about that, I will be right behind you. Go. Now!" he ordered. Even though he hadn't led troops into battle in ages, Jim still possessed the same aura that had made him a decent leader back in the day. Sirella was no warrior, never had been. But she knew when to just shut up and do as she was told. "Come on, we don't have all day! Grab this guy and down the hatch!" Sirella, who had still Bowski slung over her shoulder, seemed to be confused.

"But...I can't carry him on my shoulder when I'm inside!" she protested.

"Just pull him after you. Trust me, any damage you might do to him is his slightest problem." Just because that statement was true, it didn't mean that it put Sirella's mind to ease.

"O-okay." the young Protoss stuttered. Jim gestured her to hurry up and made room so she could slip into the air duct. Under normal circumstances, no Protoss would have fit inside. Thankfully Sirella was no warrior. Even Protoss with their lithe bodies could pack some serious muscles. Someone like Fenix wouldn't have been able to squeeze himself through a narrow place like this air vent. Then again, Fenix probably wouldn't have thought about running away either. He probably would have faced whatever was behind that door and beaten it to a bloody pulp.

Sirella was no Fenix. Aside from the fact that she was no warrior, she was a lot less bulky, slender even. And while it was a tight fit, she still managed to squeeze herself into the air duct and crawl forward.

"It's dark! And I don't know where to go!" she whined while she pulled the unconscious form of Dan Bowski after her.

"No time for that! Just move forward. If you can, go right. And upwards." Jim told her.

"H-how do you know?"

"This is the Hyperion, right? Trust me, I know. Now move!" he ordered and watched how the tall Protoss vanished from his sight. There was little time to relax, however. As Jim looked back over his shoulder, he realized that Paula hadn't done anything except for staring at the crystal with a look of utter despair on her face.

"Paula, no time to dream on the job! I know you can talk to that thing. Just-" Unfortunately that's when the door finally started to yield as whatever was on the other side was forcing itself inside. Metal was twisted and bent and Jim watched how something akin to a tentacle emerged from a small gap between door and doorframe.

"That..." Jim mumbled. "...doesn't look good."

" _Kerrrigaaaaan! I will not yield to you, not anymore!"_ the creature gargled.

"Well, crap." Paula's father muttered. "Paula, now! We are running out of time! Do it NOW!" Unfortunately, his daughter seemed to be completely incapable of doing anything right now. Which meant that they were out of time. "Darn it!" Jim shouted. He got back up and ran over to his daughter.

"D-Dad, I'm sorry, I didn't-" she started.

"Not now. We have to get out of here first." he cut her short. Jim grabbed his daughter by the wrist and pulled her with him. There was no time to stop and sniff the roses, so he took his daughter and shoved her into the air vent face first. "Go! And don't look back."

"But Dad, I-"

"No time for that. MOVE!" he yelled. "I'm right behind you, just go go go!" When everyone was inside the duct, Jim grabbed the hatch and squeezed himself inside as well before doing his best to block the duct so whatever that thing was that was out for blood would have a hard time following them.

"Okay, kiddos! Don't stop, not even for free booze and smokes!" Jim yelled.

"I don't drink!" Paula protested.

"And I don't even have a mouth!" Sirella added.

"Kids these days." the older man growled. Suddenly there was a loud **BANG!** right behind them and the sound of tearing metal echoed through the air duct.

" _KERRRIGAAAAAAANNNN!"_ the creature howled as it squeezed itself into the abandoned lab.

"Dear God, Paula! What did you do to piss that thing off?!" Jim huffed as he hushed his daughter and her friend forward.

"It's not my fault." his daughter mumbled. "He's not angry at me. He's angry at Mum!"

"Now there's a line that I haven't heard in a looooong time." Jim mused. Behind him there was another loud bang, and then another. It sounded as if whatever was rampaging inside the lab was really angry. "Also: He?" As they were crawling forward, Paula looked over her shoulder and her eyes met.

"That thing is...was Alexei Stukov." Paula panted.

"Who now?" Jim asked as they crawled deeper into the bowels of the Hyperion.

"Stukov! You told me stories about him! That guy that helped Mom during her, well, _funny times_!" Paula declared. Fun fact: Her mother didn't like to talk about her time as the most-feared creature of the entire Koprulu Sector. So, at one point, her uncle had coined the term "funny times". And much to Paula's mother's annoyance, it had stuck ever since.

"StukovStukovStukov..." Jim muttered to himself. "Wasn't he that TV-host with those fancy suits? No, wait, that was Vermillion." After all that time it was perhaps not too much of a surprise that this specific name didn't exactly ring much of a bell. Still, Jim couldn't deny that this name did sound familiar. His first instinct was to do what he always did when something was happening that he didn't understand.

Blame the missus.

"Probably someone who worked for your mother..." Jim muttered. "...guess we should have AGH!" Before Jim could finish that sentence, something grabbed his ankle. An inhuman strength pulled him back. He tried to hold on to something. Unfortunately, the insides of an air duct weren't exactly known to be littered with things to hold on to.

"DAD!" Paula screamed when she noticed that her father was pulled away from her. She turned around and grabbed his hand.

"No! Go!" Jim yelled at her. "Whatever this is, I can handle it! Get out of here." Heh, some things would just never change. Like the fact that Jim just couldn't help it and play the hero, even if he had no effin' clue about what was going on.

Well, he was about to find out.

A quick glance at his feet confirmed his suspicion. A tentacle had wrapped itself around his ankle.

"Tentacles. Why does it always have to be tentacles?" he mumbled before he was pulled back. "DAMN IT!"

"DAD!" Paula shouted again and pulled with all her might. Jim tried to kick the tentacle off his ankle with his other foot. Yet when he looked down the air duct, he noticed how something else was trying to gain access to the small vent. It was another tentacle. Only much thicker than the one currently wrapped around his ankle. Aside from the less than tasty appearance of the naked flesh, what truly made Jim question his own sanity was the fact that there was a face attached to the end of the tentacle. A horribly mutilated face that looked like something straight from a horror movie.

"WHAT THE HELL IS THAT THING?!" Jim shouted.

" _RAYNOR!"_ the face howled. _"Lies! Deceive! I see you know! Kerrigan's lies do not stop me from seeing the truth! She claimed you were not here, but here you are!"_

"Technically he wasn't here five minutes ago!" Paula yelled. "So, I didn't lie!"

" _LIEEEEEEEES!"_ the creature howled and opened its horrible maw. Jim watched in disbelief and disgust how the jaws opened wider than any human could. And when he spotted the three rows of mismatched teeth, some human and some Zerg, he wished that he had stayed in bed. _"I will not join you again, Kerrigan. I will never yield! I will fight you! No more. No more! NO MORE!"_

"Yeah, I got you the first time!" Jim shouted back, raised his free foot, and smashed it into the creature's face over and over again. Geez, when he had woken up today, he certainly hadn't expected _this_ to happen. Kicking the creature's head was like punching a wall made out of concrete. There was no indication that Jim's kicking achieved anything, until he gathered his entire strength and kicked so hard that even an ultralisk should have felt it.

 _"Ghaaaaaaa!"_ the creature called Stukov howled when Jim smashed his boot so hard against its face that some of its teeth were sent flying. Yet even then the tentacle wrapped around his ankle didn't let go. Even worse, the creature started to pull Jim out of the vent again.

"Oh no! NONONONO!" Paula's father screamed. The situation was less than ideal, and Jim was running out of ideas. "Paula, get away!"

"I won't leave you here, this is all my fault and-" his daughter protested as she continued to pull him the other direction.

"This is not up for debate! You get out of here, now!" he screamed and looked at his daughter. When their eyes met, he could see her fear and despair.

"I can't!" his daughter whined. "I just wanted to-"

"Paula..." he said with a surprisingly soft tone in his voice. "...go. You have to-" Jim started until he spotted something behind Paula. It was the body of Dan Bowski that Sirella was dragging after her. However, the man was of less importance right now. What caught Jim's interest was the object attached to Dan's thigh. It was a holster. And, in it, was something that he hadn't used in a very long time.

"Change of plans!" Jim suddenly screamed. "Paula, the gun! Give me the gun of that guy!"

"Gun?!" she stuttered and looked around. When she saw the gun, she realized what that meant. But even then, Paula hesitated. She was still doing her best to keep her father from being pulled out of the air vent, she couldn't let go of him.

"Sirella, can you toss the gun over to me?" Paula shouted.

"No, I can barely move!" the Protoss replied. "What's going on back there? I can't even look over my shoulder!"

"Paula..." Jim gasped. "...you have to let go of me and grab that gun. Come on, we are running out of time!"

"If I let go of you, Stukov will just pull you out and then-" his daughter whined.

"There's no other choice!" he told her. "Come on, have a bit of faith in your old man! Do it! Now!" Jim could see the doubts in his daughter's gaze. But then he watched how her expression changed as it was replaced by determination.

"Don't you die just yet, Dad!" she ordered him, which caused Jim to flash her a grin.

"I survived your Mum till now. I think I'll manage this guy over there." A bold statement, especially since they were running out of time.

"Okay." Paula whispered. "Okay. This better works. Ready?"

"Am I ever." Jim replied and nodded. "Trust me. I know what I'm doing."

"Mum always said that she hated it when you told her that. Now I know why." his daughter declared.

"Heh, well, guess that runs in the family." her father chuckled as he held on to his dear life. They nodded one more time, signaling that they were both ready. And then Paula let go of her father.

"UNF!" Jim gasped when he was pulled towards the exit. He tried to hold on to something but there was simply nothing that he could use. He used his free foot in order to kick the creature in the face over and over again, yet this Stukov didn't seem to care at all. That's when suddenly Jim remembered something. Stukov. From...Earth. Former UED, back when the UED had still existed. And his lover had mentioned the names a couple of times.

Weird what you remember when you look into the maw of a monster.

Everything happened within the blink of an eyelash. The moment Paula let go of her father he was pulled towards that hideous face. Paula turned around, grabbed the holster and-

"I can't get it out!" Jim's daughter squealed and Jim started to curse like a sailor. He smashed his foot once more into the face of the monster, coming to a halt for a brief moment.

"I don't want to sound rude but THAT'S NOT WHAT I WANT TO HEAR RIGHT NOW! PULL HARDER!" Paula's father screamed. Behind him Paula was doing his best to get the gun out of the holster. Gosh, things sure were much easier when her powers were working. Once this was over, he would have a long talk with his little girl about this whole mess.

"PAULA!" Jim screamed as the creature formerly known as Stukov resumed pulling him out of the air duct. He could already feel the hot and rancid breath of this monstrosity on his face. It was an utterly disgusting sensation, one that wanted to make him vomit. He reached out with his hands, tried to grab something, anything to pull himself away. That's when he suddenly felt something cold and heavy in his hand.

"Huh?" Jim muttered and looked up.

"Here!" Paula yelled and pressed the pistol in her father's hand. So, she had managed to get it out of the holster after all.

"Good girl!" Jim mumbled.

He hadn't used a gun in ages. There hadn't been any reason for that anymore. A part of him wondered if firearms of this time and age were still the way he remembered it.

Well, there was only one way to find out.

"Can't think of anything witty right now!" Jim barked. "Hey, ugly!" The creature growled and yelled strange gibberish but Jim wasn't even listening. He aimed the gun at the creature's head and pulled the trigger.

There was no bullet. At first Jim thought that this thing was either broken or that he hadn't switched the safety off. However, the moment he took his finger off the trigger, a yellow bolt emerged from the tip of the gun. It traveled past the creature's head and smashed into the body that was still outside the air duct. The monstrosity howled in pain and anguish. Instead of cherishing this moment, Jim decided to go all out. He pulled the trigger over and over again, firing one lightning-fast bolt after the other. The head of Stukov managed to avoid being hit in a display of ungodly swiftness. Fortunately for Jim the air duct was too small for the head on a tentacle to dodge all shots. One bolt hit the monster right into the left eye. It screamed in pain and much to Jim's relief it seemed to have finally enough. The moment this Stukov-thing let go of his leg, he turned around and looked at his daughter.

"Go. NOW!" And this time Paula was actually listening to what her old man was telling her to do.

* * *

"Are you sure this is the right way?" the voice of a certain Protoss whined.

"Yes." the faint voice of Jim answered.

"Are you sure you are sure?"

"Yes, Sirella, I am sure. If this is the Hyperion, then we are close to one of the ammunition bunkers." Jim barked. "I have no idea how strong that beast is, but I doubt that it can claw its way through those reinforced blast-doors." You could actually see how something moved through the narrow air ducts hanging from the ceiling. They weren't exactly subtle.

"And then what?" Paula wanted to know.

"Then we're gonna barricade ourselves in the ammo bunker and wait for either your powers to work again or for the cavalry to arrive." Jim explained.

"That's your plan?" the young Protoss protested.

"I never claimed it was a good plan. If you got a better idea, then I'm all ears." Jim declared. "Be careful up there! These air ducts aren't designed to hold the weight of a Prot-" That's when suddenly the air vent burst open and a screaming Protoss fell downwards.

"AAAAAAAAAUNNF!" Sirella screamed until her fall was suddenly stopped by something hard. The body of Dan Bowski was still inside the air vent, at least half of it. In an almost comical display, he slid forward until he fell down as well, only to land on the poor Sirella.

"AGH!" the young Protoss groaned. And then there was silence...

"Sirella?" Paula mumbled after a while. "Are you still alive?"

…

…

…

…

"No..." was the weak answer of her friend.

"I hate to sound like a douche, but we have no time for this!" Jim snarled. "Sorry, kiddo, but there are moments when you just don't stop. Especially when you are crossing a street and chased by an infested monstrosity. Watch where you're falling!" Paula, who was still inside the busted air duct, squealed in disbelief when her father pushed her out of the small tunnel. She fell, and the only thing she could do was to protect her face with her hands. Thankfully she landed on something that wasn't made out of metal.

"UNF!" Sirella groaned when her "friend" landed on her. "Oh, come on, you're doing this on purpose!"

"Hold your horses, here I come!" Jim barked, and when he slid out of the broken vent, he displayed a lot more grace than either his daughter or her friend. And let's not even talk about Dan, who was still out cold. And probably dead. Jim actually managed to land on his feet and when he looked down, a cocky grin appeared on his face. "Kids these days." He looked around and sighed in relief.

"Well, now that we're inside the ammunition bunker, we should be safe and..." When he fell silent, Sirella groaned immediately.

"Don't tell me..." she sighed. "...this isn't the ammunition bunker? Now I know where Paula got her awful sense of direction from."

"Gimme a break!" Jim barked. "I haven't done this in a really long time." As he looked around, he recognized old and familiar things. And then it started to dawn on him.

"This...is one of the hangars! Starboard side!" Jim looked down and realized that they hadn't landed on the floor of the hanger, which was a good thing. Falling from the ceiling all the way down surely would have resulted in some broken bones. Instead, they were standing (or lying) on a dropship.

"Damn. I was certain that we would come out in one of the ammunition bunkers." Jim muttered until he noticed some finer details on the hull of the dropship beneath him. His eyes widened in surprise. "Wait a sec...is that my old dropship?! How the hell did this thing get here?!"

"I asked myself the exact same thing." Paula groaned as she rolled off the still unconscious Dan and the groaning Sirella. Didn't Mum once say that she lost it?"

"Well, I'll make sure to ask her about that should we survive the next couple of hours." Jim muttered. "Speaking of which..." He then knelt down next to the unconscious form of Dan Bowski and rolled the younger man on his back. Jim checked his vitals. He was still breathing. Barely. And his skin was already ghostly pale. There was little doubt in Jim's mind that this man's body wouldn't be able to fight off the infestation for much longer. "...who's that? Your new boyfriend?"

"He's not my boyfriend!" Paula protested. "He's the local marshal who helped us to find the Hyperion. And tell me what not to do. Which I did anyway."

"Marshal?" Jim sighed. "Oh God. A Kerrigan meets a marshal. If your mother hears about this, she will laugh so hard that she will grow some blade-wings." And that wasn't even made up. "Did he have inappropriate thoughts when he looked at you?" Jim asked his daughter before he looked down and nudged the unresponsive man with the tip of his foot. "Hey, did you have inappropriate thoughts while looking at my daughter that would make "You pig!" a completely justified first impression?"

"He's NOT my boyfriend!" Paula winced. "Also; when he saw me for the first time, he had no dirty thoughts!" When Jim heard that, he looked at his daughter and then at the unconscious body of the Marshal.

"I don't know wherever I should be relieved or disappointed." Jim mumbled before he shook his head. "Okay, enough chit-chat. We still have to get the hell out of here. Come on, let's climb down. Sirella, help me with this guy!" The Protoss' only answer was a pained groan, yet she still got up and together the three started to climb down from the dropship while making sure that Dan wouldn't fall down and-

"Watch it, he's slipping!" Jim screamed just before the mangled form of Dan Bowski landed on the hard floor of the hangar. There was a sickening sound when the Marshal made contact with the floor, and Jim could swear that he could see how a tentacle emerged from beneath the shirt of the Marshal, only to spot him and retract back into Dan's body.

"Charming." Jim growled.

"Is he dead?" Sirella mumbled, clearly too scared to get close to Dan again.

"Probably not." Paula's father mused. "Infestation has some nasty side-effects. One of 'em includes the ability to survive almost everything. Except for lemons. I think. Not sure if that was a hoax or actually a thing. Happened a really long time ago."

"Shouldn't we, I don't know, do something?" Paula whispered. All three of them were looking down from the dropship at the still twitching body of Dan.

"Dunno..." Jim mumbled and looked at the gun in his hand. "...but maybe we should end this now." Sure, it had been ages since he had used a gun. And he couldn't even say when he had encountered an infested the last time. But there was one thing that Jim knew...

"There are fates worse than death." he mumbled and pointed the gun at the body of Dan Bowski. His finger was already applying pressure to the trigger when-

"NO!" Paula screamed and grabbed her father's wrist. Surprised by her sudden reaction, Jim gritted his teeth and managed to not fire by accident.

"Holy crap, Paula! Watch it! Guns are dangerous, I could have hit you or Sirella by accident!" Jim barked. Yet when he looked his daughter into the eyes, he could see something besides the shame and fear. Something that reminded him of Paula's mother.

Determination.

" _You will not kill him!"_ Paula said with a firm tone in her voice, even though her lower lip was trembling. Those words...for a moment Jim could see Paula's mother all over her. The piercing gaze, the determined look. It wasn't just the fact that they looked so familiar. It went deeper than that.

"Paula..." Jim tried to reason with her. "...I know that this must be horrible for you, but there is nothing we can do right now. Not unless you can get control over your powers again." It had happened before. Many times, actually. There was a good reason for Paula's lack of control, and that reason had a name.

"Mum can fix him!" Paula protested. "If she gets here, she can make him whole again!"

"It's not that easy, and you know it." her father replied. "We can't take him with us. Sooner or later the infestation will consume him, and then he will stop at nothing and try to kill us. Or worse, he will try to infest us as well. And if we are really, really, _really_ unlucky, then he will simply detonate. Trust me, you don't want to be nearby to find out what he's gonna turn into. Whatever it will be, it will be ugly."

"But it will be _alive_!" Paula lectured him. "You won't kill him! I won't allow it!" When Jim heard that, his features softened. Right now, she was the spitting image of her mother. It was almost scary, but in a good way. And so...

"Okay..." he whispered. "Okay, you win." And then Jim lowered the gun. "But we can't take him with us. It's too dangerous."

"But-" Paula protested but was cut short by her father.

"No but, kiddo. You can only "but" me if your powers work. Which they do not. And I won't have an infested man on board of a tiny dropship that's surrounded by hard vacuum." He realized the confused look on his daughter's face.

"Dropship? Hard vacuum?" Paula muttered. "What the heck are you talking about?" A proud grin appeared on her father's face.

"Fear not, daughter, for I have come up with a brilliant plan while we were running for our dear life! We shall take my old dropship and just leave the Hyperion behind. And then we will just find the next habitable planet and wait for your mother to show up!"

Behind them Sirella was looking for a way to climb down from said dropship.

"Perhaps this is the right moment to tell your father about where we found this thing." the tall Protoss mumbled.

"What?" Jim asked Sirella, only to receive a shrug. He then turned his attention towards Paula. "What's she talking about?"

"Haha, funny story, actually." Paula chuckled in a rather pathetic way. "Guess what, we are not in space!" A frown appeared on Jim's face when he heard that.

"Then, where are we?" he wanted to know.

"Below ground." his daughter told him.

"Well..." James Eugene Raynor growled when he heard that. "...crap."


	15. Chapter 15

**So, I guess after 15 chapters it is finally time to address some plot-holes people have been wondering about. Just don't expect anything mindblowing. It's just a dropship. But I found it weird that we never saw anything of that thing again after Sarah took it with her in Heart of the Swarm. Then again, the Leviathan she took over after that probably digested that thing or pooped it out. Or both.**

 **So yeah, it's time for another flashback.**

* * *

 **Chapter 15**

 **That's what you get for not paying the rent**

* * *

''We can't just leave him behind!"

''We can't take him with us either."

"Yeah, but that Stukov-thing will kill him if it gets here and-"

"It... I mean _he_...I mean _whatever_ it is now, I'm pretty sure it won't hurt him."

"Oh yeah? What makes you say that?"

"Experience."

"Well, my intuition tells me that your experience regarding dealing with infested is a couple of hundred years old."

"That may be so, but _your_ intuition led us into this mess."

"Oh yeah? And how do you come to this conclusion, huh?" Paula Kerrigan wanted to know and crossed her arms in front of her chest as she stared at her father, a defiant look on her face.

"Call it " _intuition_ "." Jim Raynor replied while grinning like the king of all douchebags. Quite the feat, actually. Especially when considering their current predicament.

Sirella watched the whole scene but decided against interfering. It was both surreal and idiotic at the same time. Yet it was rather satisfying to see the frustration on Paula's face, and how her eyelid twitched like crazy as she spoke to her father. Right now, she looked so much like her mother. She too experienced massive surges of frustration when dealing with Jim Raynor from time to time. According to people called "Kerrigan", people going by the name of "Raynor" had that impact on others.

"Intuition my ass." Paula growled.

"Language." her father lectured her.

"You curse all the time!" his daughter protested.

"Yeah, but when I do that it's usually for a darn good reason." Jim declared. Sirella watched how Paula gritted her teeth, and for a second it seemed as if she wanted to scream. But her frustration evaporated the moment the mangled corpse right next to them started to twitch and moan. Suddenly all three of them turned their head around, even though each one of them had a different reaction.

Perhaps Sirella's was the most "human" one. Even though she lacked a mouth, you could still see the disgust on her face and the utter revulsion. She made a step backward. Then another one. And another one. As far as she was concerned, the young Protoss just wanted to be as far away from this thing as possible. Right now, she didn't even have mixed feelings. She had liked Bowski. He, unlike Paula, was a reasonable person. Someone you could talk to and who would listen to arguments.

So yeah, pretty much the exact opposite of Paula.

"Ahhhhhhhgrrrrrr..." A guttural, almost inhuman sound left Bowski's throat.

Paula's reaction was probably the most unusual one. She simply sighed and looked at the creature twitching in front of her feet as if it was the most normal thing in the world.

"Hey, we are having a conversation here!" she mumbled. It was like trying to talk to a Zergling. Then again, given the fact who her mother was, this was probably not the weirdest thing for her to do. "I'm trying to save your butt, so keep it down, will'ya?!"

Jim Raynor's reaction to all of this was also rather unusual. He looked at his daughter, then at the mangled body of the infested Marshal, before letting off an exhausted sigh.

"I hate Mondays..." he mumbled and rubbed his eyes.

"This day feels more like Tuesday." Paula replied.

"Maybe to you it does. For me it's Monday. I _hate_ Mondays." With that, Jim turned around and studied his surroundings. His eyes fell on a machine in the corner of the room and a faint smile appeared on his face. "Well, too bad we have no use for one of those right now." Even then the sight of a vulture bike seemed to stir up a lot of old memories. And judging from the look on his face most of them were rather pleasant.

"Okay, enough fun and games." Paula's father explained as he looked around. "The original plan still stands. Since we can't escape from this place, we have to find a place where we can barrel down and wait for the cavalry to arrive." He didn't even have to mention her name for everyone to know _who_ he was talking about. "We should head down to the next deck and-"

"Wait, WHAT?!" Sirella screeched when she heard that. "Heading down? But...but...BUT THAT THING IS DOWN THERE! Shouldn't we try to get up and-"

"I don't think we can outrun this thing." Jim interrupted her before throwing a glance at his daughter. "By the way...Stukov, I think I remember now. Worked for the UED. Don't remember much about him anymore, but I do remember that he ran with a bad crowd."

"Yeah, well..." Paula muttered. "...now he _is_ a bad crowd."

"S-still, shouldn't we try to get out of here and-" the young Protoss whined.

"Sometimes running isn't the best option." Paula's father explained. "Trust me, I know what I'm talking about. Shouldn't be too long until my better half figures out that something's wrong. Besides, I don't want to risk Stukov to get out of here. As long as we stay down here, he will probably do the same."

"That's probably better..." Paula mused and looked at her friend. "Just imagine what will happen if he finds the Professor and the others."

"I don't want to imagine that. I just want to go home." Sirella whimpered.

"Don't worry. I survived situations way worse than this." Jim explained as he tried to cheer her up. "We will head down and hide in one of the ammunition bunkers. They are surrounded by armor plates and reinforced to withstand even the worst punishment. If this thing would blow up, then the bunkers would probably be the only thing left in one piece."

"I don't want to blow up!" Sirella protested. "Please don't do that! No blowing up! Can we please not blow up?"

"Rrrrrrrright." Jim whispered when he noticed that the young Protoss was on the verge of a mental breakdown. But there was no time to deal with that right now. Instead...

"Ghaaaaaa..." The gurgling sound of the tortured creature right next to them caught their attention.

"One thing at a time." Jim growled and tightened his grip around the gun in his hand. "First we have to deal with this mess." As he looked down on the groaning and twitching form of Dan Bowski, the look on Jim's face was one of sorrow and anger. For a moment it seemed as if he wanted to put the Marshal out of his misery. Paula stared at her father, ready to stop him if he would decide to go that way. Though right now it was not quite certain wherever she would actually be able to do anything meaningful right now. Jim knelt down right in front of the infested man and pointed the gun at Dan's head. However, he didn't pull the trigger to put Dan out of his misery. It was only a precaution.

"Boy, can you hear me?" Jim asked. Perhaps it was a bit presumptuous to call the man a boy. Then again, pretty much everyone was just a boy or girl to Jim. As he rolled Dan on his back, the Marshal looked at him with blood-shot eyes. Paula's father suddenly felt an unpleasant sense of familiarity. Infection. What a shitty way to go. He saw how something moved beneath the skin of Dan's face. It almost looked like some kind of worm...

"Please..." Dan gasped as his body was ravaged by the most intense pain no human being could imagine. Jim knelt down right next to him, the gun still roughly pointed at Dan's head, just to be certain.

"I know you probably just want it to end..." Jim explained. "...and I can do that." He ignored Paula's protests behind him. "I can make it quick. Painless even." As he looked into Dan's eyes, he noticed the desperation in the other man's gaze. The idea of leaving this world behind, as well as the pain, seemed to be rather tempting. Until...

"But there's still hope." Jim continued. "Even though you probably won't believe me. There's someone who can fix this, and once she gets here, she can make this right again. All you have to do is one thing." One thing? Couldn't be too hard, right?

"Don't give up."

No one dared to say anything. The only thing you could hear was the rasped and pained gasps of the Marshal who stared at Jim while his body was consumed by this ancient virus. He opened his mouth, yet instead of screams of agony...

"...want...live..." Dan managed to gasp.

Jim lowered the gun and he nodded.

"Then prove it." he declared before he got back up and turned away. "Stay alive. That's all it takes." The dying man watched in horror how Paula's father walked away. "Come on, girls. We have to hurry."

"But...but..." Paula protested. It seemed as if she didn't want to just leave Dan behind. However, right now she had nothing to say in that matter.

"I'm sorry." Sirella whispered as she followed Jim. And then Paula was left alone with Dan. She seemed to be hesitant. Dan reached out to her, but when he looked at his own hand, he groaned in anguish. His fingers looked like claws and some sort of tentacle was sprouting from his wrist. It looked as horrible as it felt, maybe even worse than that.

"Paula! Move it!" Jim barked and the young woman clenched her hands into fists.

"Please, stay alive." she mumbled. "I swear I'm gonna make it up to you. I swear..." And as she turned away, Dan noticed how tears of gold streamed down her cheeks. He tried to stop her, tried to ask for help. Or someone to put him out of his misery. But the last thing before the pain claimed him once more was the sight of the group of three leaving him behind in the darkness...

* * *

Dan didn't know how much time had passed. His consciousness continued to fade away until he could almost taste the sweet touch of oblivion, of nothingness. But then some agonizing pain would shoot through some part of his body, drawing him back to reality and reminding him that his fate was not to rest in peace.

"Ha..." he groaned. His body felt so stiff, so strange, so unreal. It was as if it wasn't even his own body anymore, at least not entirely. He could feel how _things_ moved beneath his skin. There was no way to describe it. All he knew that it felt wrong. So very wrong. The Marshal opened his eyes, only to realize that he was alone in the dark. He tried to roll on the side but was greeted by even more pain.

"Gha! Ack!" Pain. So much pain. Every fiber of his body was consumed by it. A dry cough escaped his throat that soon turned wet. A metallic taste filled his mouth. The taste of blood. His own blood. Just when he thought it couldn't get any worse, he managed to wipe some of the red liquid from his chin, only to wail in distress when he noticed that his hand had turned into a malformed amalgamation between hand and claw.

Dan wanted to die. He didn't care if someone would call this an act of cowardice. People weren't supposed to experience this kind of pain. It was unnatural. There was a limit to how much a single man could take. And Dan was no hero. It was just-

" _Kerrrrrrigaaaaaaaan..."_

"Ghnnnnn!" Dan groaned when suddenly a voice straight from the pits of hell echoed through his mind. The sensation was both alien and horrific at the same time. For someone who didn't know a thing about psionics, it simply unnatural. Strange.

Wrong...

For a moment Dan even thought that he was hearing this voice with his ears. It took him a moment to realize that he wasn't, but only after he pressed his malformed hands against his ears and still heard this voice.

" _She cannot hide, Raynor. It is pointless...she might own the stars but this place, and everything inside it, is mine!"_

"I... I'm not...not Raynor..." Dan managed to gargle. That's when he felt something in the back of his throat. Tiny tendrils, growing from his own flesh, moving on their own volition...

" _Lies...lies!"_ the voice snarled. _"She was here. She came for YOU! You mean everything to her, she will not allow you to perish here..."_

Even though Dan was in excruciating pain, he still managed to chuckle when he heard that.

"Doesn't...doesn't look like that...from where I'm...standing..." he gasped.

" _As long as I have you, she will not dare to harm me. As long as...Mengsk is alive...she will...she will..."_ Mengsk? That was another name that didn't make any sense to Dan but when he heard it, he felt a sense of...confusion? It was a nauseating experience. He felt someone else's emotions inside his mind, something he wasn't used to. As mentioned before: Someone who has no experience with psionics whatsoever can't really describe the sensations. It's a little bit like being born blind. And then, suddenly, as an adult, you regain a sense you have never experienced before. Being "confused" was an understatement. And even in this day and age, most people weren't born psionically gifted, even though their numbers were steadily shrinking.

How would the people of the past look upon this possible future? Where everyone could read everyone's mind? The thought of all your innermost desires laid open would probably scare them. Concepts like "secrets" and "trust" were normal to them. Yet what about the people of the future? Those who would be born into a world where reading the thoughts of the person next to you was as normal as reading a letter that was meant for you anyway.

None of that mattered to Dan right now, though.

He was truly between a rock and a hard place right now. On the one hand, he wished that that voice inside his mind would leave him alone. On the other hand, it distracted him from the agonizing sensation of his own innards trying to consume him.

" _You shouldn't have come here...you shouldn't have disturbed my slumber! This, all of this, is your own doing!"_ the voice boomed inside his head. _"Then again...Kerrigan always claimed that you didn't know when to quit."_

"You know...she was wrong..." Dan gasped. "I'd like to quit right now please!"

"That can be arranged!" the voice declared. However, this time there was something different. Even in his current state, Dan noticed it immediately. Those words hadn't come from inside his mind...

...but from right above him.

He opened his eyes and looked up, almost immediately regretting it.

"Raynoooooooor!" the horribly mutilated creature howled as squeezed itself through the narrow air duct that had been Dan's escape path. Torrents of blood spilled out of the small hole in the ceiling. It was truly a sickening sight as something made out of flesh and bones fell out of the air duct and landed on the dropship right beneath it. Dan realized that this thing called Stukov had torn itself apart so it would fit through the too narrow passage.

Wherever there's a will, there's a way.

Or something like that.

Dan tried to get away. But all he managed to do was to roll on his stomach and crawl away with the speed of a legless Zergling. Dan tried to get back on his feet. Yet for some odd reason his legs didn't seem to work the way they were supposed to. It almost felt as if his legs were...gone. Replaced by something else. Something that felt like tentacles...

And so, he did the smartest thing anyone could have done in this situation: Dan didn't look over his shoulder to figure out what had happened to his legs.

"Raaaayyyynoooooor!" the creature called Stukov growled as it slid off the dropship and landed on the hard floor of the hangar. The sound it produced was utterly repulsive, like a bag full of flesh hitting the ground and busting wide open. Dan just crawled forward, away from this being. Unfortunately, it was utterly pointless. Stukov, or what was left of him anyway, used a plethora of mutilated arms, legs, and even things that looked like giant tongues to move forward. And with more limbs than a goddamn centipede this thing, even in its mangled state, managed to catch up with Dan in almost an instant.

"Ghaaaaaaaaaa!" he screamed when suddenly his belly exploded in hot pain. A quick glance over his shoulder told him two things. First: His legs were still there and hadn't been replaced by tentacles, which was somewhat of a relief. And secondly: This Stukov-thing had rammed one of its many claws into his back. Not deep enough to truly cause any lethal harm, but more than enough to make him groan in agony. A sudden sense of vertigo made him groan, and Dan realized that he was lifted off the ground. The pain of being impaled was almost too strong to bear, and he was amazed that he didn't lose consciousness, something that he wish would happen.

His entire world consisted of pain.

And as Dan looked into the ruined face of this creature, he had managed to muster his last remaining ounce of strength. He opened his mouth and his next words surprised himself.

"Do your...worst..." he snarled and spat into the creature's face. Only that it wasn't saliva but his own blood.

And Stukov?

This thing only grinned, showing several rows of needle-like teeth before using its long tongue to lick the blood off its own face.

Too bad no one was around to record this. You could have made the ultimate horror-movie out of this stuff.

"If you die..." Stukov snarled. "... _her_ vengeance will be limitless." It was as if this thing was thinking about its options. That's when a truly horrifying grin appeared on Stukov's face. "But if I consume you, if I make you part of me, then she will not _dare_ to harm me." Dan couldn't see even the slightest piece of logic in this statement.

"I think...you got it all...wrong, pal." Dan choked. He didn't even know where he got the guts to talk back right now. Especially since his guts were currently trying to quit their current job and move out.

"Your liesssssss will not save you." Stukov hissed. "You will be my shield, protecting me from her wrath."

"Can't help you there...sorry." the Marshal replied. "As far...as I can tell...Kerrigan's not really...interested in my well-being."

"Empty words! She will come for you! She never stopped believing in you, even in her darkest hours. You mean everything to her!" When Dan heard that, even while ravaged by excruciating pain, he still only had one reaction in store that was fitting.

"Hahahahaha!" the dying man laughed. "Hahah*ACK*!" His laugh was cut short by a violent cough. Yet even then he managed to speak out what was on his mind. "She won't come back for me, I promise. So far...Kerrigan has been nothing...but my own personal nightmare."

"She...cares...for you?" Stukov snarled, yet his own words sounded confused. And unsure.

"If she does...she has a weird way...of showing it..." Dan panted. A frown appeared on the creature's face and as the horribly mutated once-man looked up and down to muster Dan's body, he too seemed to come to the conclusion that something was wrong.

"Infested..." Stukov gargled. "...she would have never allowed for you to be infested. She didn't want you to walk her own path..." Whatever that was supposed to mean...

"Just...get it over with..." Dan groaned. "Come on. Just make it...stop!" He watched how another tentacle emerged from Stukov's disgusting body. Was this thing finally ready to put him out of his misery? A sense of relief washed through Dan's entire being. He didn't want to die. As strange as it sounded, he still had plans. But experiencing this pain any longer was simply not an option. And therefore-

"Something'ssssss not right." Stukov growled. "You reek of Kerrigan, yet you...you..." Dan could feel someone else's confusion inside his mind. The sensation was so strong that he wanted to puke. That's when it was suddenly replaced by cold determination. "Your secrets...I need to know them!" Stukov suddenly explained and Dan watched in horror how the newly grown tentacle moved closer until it positioned itself right next to his left temple.

"Wha...what are you...?" Dan gasped. From the corner of his eyes, he could see how the tentacle peeled itself open, revealing a thin and long needle. Only then the Marshal realized what this thing was planing.

"No! NO! KEEP THAT THING AWAY FROM MEAAAGGGH!" Dan's screams of panic were replaced by squeals of agony as the tentacle shot forward and the needle broke through his temple. The moment it dug itself into his brain...

...everything came to an end.

...so this was what the end felt like?

To be honest: He had expected something less...tranquil.

* * *

Everything was quiet, which was quite unnerving. The insides of this place, usually brimming with life, were almost empty, and he hadn't seen a living soul in quiet some time. Not that he minded, though. After everything that had happened recently some peace and quiet was highly welcome. It gave him time to think. To reminiscent. To remember...

"Well, Gerard, my old friend..." Alexei Stukov mumbled as he looked out of the organic window of the Leviathan. "...could you have imagined how these things would play out?" That was, of course, a rhetorical question. A faint smile appeared on Stukov's mangled face when he remembered the time shortly before the UED-taskforce had left Earth. Back then he and Admiral DuGalle, a man he had considered his closest friend, had wondered about what would await them in the Koprulu Sector. While Alexei had asked himself what kind of society they would encounter, what stories the people had to tell, Gerard's mind had been focused on more technical aspects. What kind of troops the people there might have, their level of technology, how to subvert the existing political system to ensure the success of the mission.

Alexei had been the dreamer.

Gerard had been the pragmatic one.

Some of their ideas and projections had been centered around war and conflict. To arrive in a system that was already ravaged by destruction. And you know what? They had been right about that one. The only problem was...

...that they hadn't thought about not one, but two alien species being part of this whole mess.

"Heh...you never truly considered the Zerg or the Protoss to be worthy of your time. Right, Gerard?" Stukov continued. "Yet perhaps we should have taken them seriously from the start." That was probably the understatement of the century. Though, if he was brutally honest with himself, Alexei knew that this could never have worked. Even though he still considered the now-deceased Admiral his friend, he knew that Gerard had possessed a lot of perks and flaws. Sometimes these things can be the same thing, and only the situation decides wherever they are an advantage or a straight path to your doom.

Gerard...had always been an unforgiving man, to his enemies, his own men, and himself. He had been the logical choice to lead this ill-fated expedition to the ass-end of the galaxy. His unforgivingness had allowed him to keep the troops in line. It had led them from victory to victory in the first couple of months since arriving in the Koprulu Sector. But a blessing can turn into a curse in an instant, and Gerard's personality ultimately had led him and his men to their doom.

"Perhaps it makes you happy to hear that I got him, Gerard." Alexei continued. "He played us both for a fool. But I finally got him." He was, of course, referring to his own personal devil. Duran. Narud. It didn't matter. Now this bastard was dead. "Perhaps now your soul, and that of your men can finally rest in peace." Yes, Narud was gone. For good. Ending this creature's life had been probably the single most satisfying moment in Alexei's entire life.

"But you wouldn't have believed me what this guy truly had been after. Or what he was. Hehehehe..." A sad chuckle escaped his throat. "We were so wrong, Gerard. So very wrong. We were thinking of insurrections, rebellions, political agendas. We were children. Children playing with forces that we didn't understand." Yes, children. Children playing with fire. Stukov raised his hand and brushed with his fingers over the scarred side of his face. If you play with fire, you tend to get burned eventually.

"I wish I had a drink, my old friend. A toast, to us. The lost and the damned. It would be-"

"Who are you talking to?" a voice suddenly interrupted Alexei's monologue. He smiled and looked over his shoulder. From the ceiling, a large creature emerged. For a second it seemed like a huge black snake-like Zerg. Stukov wasn't startled. This one was probably the only member of the Swarm you didn't have to be afraid of. Not because she was harmless. No, she probably could cause some serious damage if she wanted to. But using violence wasn't in her nature. A smile appeared on Stukov's face when this creature faced him with a neutral look on her nose-less, yet feminine face.

"Izsha." he said. "Anything I can do for you?"

"Who are you talking to?" Izsha repeated her initial question.

"An old friend." Alexei replied truthfully. Izsha frowned and looked around.

"Where is that friend? Are you communicating with the enemy?"

"Hahahahahaha!" Stukov barked in laughter. "Only if I have learned to talk to the dead." When Izsha heard that, she tilted her head to the side, obviously confused by that statement.

"I do not understand." the Queen's personal assistant explained.

"It's a... ah, nevermind." the former soldier in service of the already forgotten UED sighed. While he enjoyed Izsha's company, especially when compared to the other creatures' in the Queen of Blades' service, she wasn't exactly what you could call a "sparkling conversationalist". Then again, the skill of conversation wasn't exactly one that a Zerg needed to be good at its job.

"DEVOUR ALL!" usually was more than enough. Stukov chuckled once more when he suddenly had to think about Dehaka's "More essence!"-talk, which only proved his point.

"Does my question amuse you?" Izsha asked, not realizing that he wasn't even talking to her. Stukov sighed and looked at that strange creature. Truth to be told: he didn't even know what Izsha was. Her appearance hinted that she too once had been human. Then again, the same could be said about Zagara's upper body. He once had asked Izsha about her past, but she had only answered that "it was of no importance to the Swarm". Case closed. Perhaps Kerrigan could have answered that question.

Too bad she was no longer around...

"You have been looking out of this window for a while now. Is there something you have noticed?" Izsha wanted to know. It was only prudent. While he was in service of the Queen of Blades, Stukov wasn't technically part of the Swarm. It made him an outside. Just like Dehaka. Speaking of which...

"Say, Izsha..." Alexei asked. "I haven't seen Dehaka for a while. I heard him scream and then nothing. Did something happen?" Screaming was nothing unusual for someone like Dehaka. Or Zerg in general.

"The new Overqueen disposed of him." Izsha simply stated. That caused Alexei to blink in surprise.

"Dis... what? How? When? Why?"

"According to the new Overqueen he "had looked at her in a funny way". I did not bother to ask her for details." Izsha said. Yet something seemed wrong. Perhaps Alexei was just imagining things but for some odd reason, Izsha almost sounded...sad? It was hard to tell since it was almost impossible to read her emotions, especially since she possessed no body-language whatsoever.

"I guess the new boss isn't wasting any time redecorating." Stukov mused. It was a strange situation. Only a few days ago they had fought the battle of their lives. And it was probably safe to assume that no one had expected to come out of it alive. Yet thanks to the sacrifice of a certain someone, they were still all here.

Well, most of them...

"Never thought I'd say that but I think I'm going to miss all that "I want essence!"-talk." Stukov whispered.

"It is the privilege of the new Overqueen to form the Swarm into a shape she desires." Izsha explained and looked out of the organic window. Out there, amidst the emptiness of space, was Ulnar. And beyond that the Void, now finally sealed off thanks to the actions of the Queen of Blades.

"Guess Dehaka didn't match the drapes." Alexei sighed and looked at his own hands. "I suppose I should expect something like that for myself soon too." He wasn't holding on to any illusions. Zerg weren't known for their sparkling sense of nostalgia. Or friendship. Right now his fate was in the hands of a Zerg with some serious anger-management-issues.

"If you knew..." Izsha asked in a sudden display of curiosity. "...then why did you not leave?" Stukov looked at her and smiled.

"You know when I had my chance?"

"Yes."

There was something refreshing about talking to Izsha. Her questions were simple, straight to the point and usually always served a purpose. Stukov looked out of the organic window once more and sighed.

"Would you believe me if I'd tell you that I simply do not know where to go?"

"I..." Izsha started, but then something unusual happened.

She fell silent.

Even though Stukov shared no connection to the Swarm, he still knew what was on her mind. Everyone who knew just a little bit about her knew who she truly felt loyal to.

Unfortunately, Izsha had to look for a new boss.

"You miss her, don't you?" Stukov asked. Even though Izsha wasn't known for her exaggerated emotions he did notice how her eyelids started to twitch. It was her version of a surprised gasp.

"The Overqueen is close by. If I want to see her then-"

"I'm not talking about Zagara. And you know it." Alexei interrupted her. Instead of answering his question Izsha simply looked Stukov straight into the eyes before she turned her attention away from him and stared out of the organic window.

"The Protoss have already left. Terran forces still remain. What could be their reason for doing so?" she wanted to know.

"Why ask me?" Stukov wanted to know.

"You used to be human. That gives you more insight into how their minds work."

"Maybe they're still celebrating. Who knows, perhaps they are too drunk to find the button to activate their hyperdrives." He knew that Jim Raynor and his infamous Raiders had been part of the alliance that had stopped Amon. If this man and his troops were only half as crazy as Kerrigan had told them, then they were probably already too stoned to walk in a straight line. Suddenly Alexei wished that he could still get drunk. Unfortunately, his Zerg-physiology prevented that.

"I... don't think that this seems plausible." Izsha mused when she heard that explanation.

"Tehehe...obviously you don't know much about humans after all." Stukov chuckled. That answer didn't really satisfy Izsha.

"If the Overqueen asks me for tactical advice I can hardly say that the humans are probably too intoxicated to fight." she declared.

"Too bad. Because that's probably closer to the truth than any other explanation I could come up with..." Stukov muttered and decided to stare out of the window once more. Four years. A bit more than four years ago he and the rest of the UED had tried to reclaim Earth's lost children. They had failed spectacularly. And now? Now it felt as if he was the last remnant of a long-forgotten age.

Gerard and how he fell for Narud's ploy, their sorry attempt to enslave the second Overmind, how they had underestimated both Arcturus Mengsk's thirst for power and Kerrigan's need for vengeance...

"Just where did it all go wrong, Gerard?" Alexei whispered to himself. Nostalgia. Such a drag. And even if-

"There you are." a new voice suddenly reached their ears. Both Izsha and Stukov turned around, and when they spotted the former broodmother and new supreme leader of the Swarm, they both reacted as expected. Meaning that Izsha bowed her head in respect while Stukov did nothing.

"Overqueen." Izsha said. "Is there something that you-"

"What is this?" Zagara interrupted Izsha and stalked into the living room. "A gathering? If you have nothing to do, Izsha, then I have a task for you."

"I was not aware that you required my services. I shall-" But then she was interrupted by Zagara once more.

"Contact the remaining broodmothers. Tell them to prepare for departure. I want the Swarm to head out and return to Char as soon as possible." the Overqueen ordered. It was odd, since it was an order that she could have given herself easily. She didn't need Izsha for that. Unless...

"It shall be done, Overqueen." Izsha simply replied and moved away. Stukov watched how she vanished inside a hole in the living ceiling. For some odd reason, he thought that he wouldn't see her ever again. And then he was alone with Zagara.

"So..." he mumbled. "...I take it you don't want some advice regarding how to deal with humans?"

"You infest them." Zagara simply replied. "And no, I haven't come here to ask you for your opinion."

"Then why did you come here?" Stukov chuckled. Something had changed. Something about Zagara's whole being had changed. She seemed...calmer. Instead of facing either Stukov, she simply walked past them and stopped in front of the organic window, staring out into the blackness of space. For a moment neither said one said anything.

Stukov was not a coward. And he wasn't an idiot either. At least that's what he liked to think. Then again, he was probably the only person in existence who had been killed, infested, deinfested, reinfested and used as a test subject. So yeah...

"I take it you haven't come here for a social call." he sighed.

"You haven't called me at all. I came because I wanted to."

"That's not what it means. I... agh, forget it." Stukov mumbled. "Kerrigan should have worked on your people-skills. Guess there's still a lot to improve."

"I doubt that you are talking about the skill of taking people apart."

"Sharp as always, Zagara."

"I aim to please."

Wait...was that a joke?

Stukov was about to congratulate her when he noticed how the huge broodmonter...no, the new Overqueen straightened herself.

"I have made a decision." she simply stated.

"That's your privilege as the new ruler of the Swarm." Stukov mumbled. "Let me guess: I won't like it."

"Probably not." Zagara confirmed his suspicions. "I've been...thinking. Ever since the end of this war." Which had been two days ago. The fact that Zagara, _Zagara of all people_ , had been busy thinking for two straight days was actually pretty terrifying.

"So? What's on your mind?" Alexei wanted to know.

"Everything? Nothing?" the Overqueen mused. "I am not certain yet. Random ideas and wishes. Floating dreams and images..." Her voice trailed off and Stukov wondered if something was wrong. That certainly didn't sound like the aggressive broodmother he had come to known.

"That's a bit...vague." he concluded.

"It is."

"Hmmm...maybe you need someone to help you? To clear the path? Be your advisor perhaps?" Perhaps this was a bit opportunistic, but a guy had to look out for himself.

"An advisor you say?" Zagara cooed. "Perhaps this idea has its merit."

"Maybe I could be of assistance. It is only logi-"

"No." Zagara cut him short and turned her massive head around until she was looking down on him. "I do not require you to be my advisor. In fact, your service to the Swarm is no longer required." Alexei wasn't surprised when he heard that. A tired grin appeared on his mangled face.

"The Queen is dead, long live the Queen, hmm?" he mused. "Guess there's no point in prolonging the inevitable. So, what it's gonna be, big girl?" Alexei tried to sound tough. Like a cat that makes itself bigger to intimidate a dog. But there were two problems with that. Firstly: Stukov was all out of juice. Right now, he was running on empty, just like pretty much everyone else. And secondly: Zagara was not a dog, she was a broodmother. If you appear more dangerous, she will only punch you even harder. Still, Stukov knew that he wouldn't go down without a fight. It was not a decision of the heart, though. His heart was tired. It was spitefulness born from his mind. And so...

"Leave."

A single word was all Zagara needed to leave Stukov completely stupefied.

"I beg your pardon?" Alexei mumbled. Was this a trick? Zagara was many things. Being subtle was not one of them. If this was an attempt to make him feel safe and turn around so she could impale him from behind...

"For too long the Swarm has been the tool of others' ambitions. Even the mighty Overmind was nothing but a tool to control us. And while we owe everything we are to the Queen of Blades, she too wasn't Zerg. Not really." the Overqueen mused.

"What are you trying to say? Zerg for the Zerg?" Stukov joked.

"In a way...yes." Zagara replied, which was finally enough to make Alexei shut up. "I do not know what we should become. Her Majesty talked with me about vision, but what is that? She didn't give me a definite answer. At first, I thought that she didn't know herself. But now I think we should find our own vision, even though it might not be what she had in mind." That sounded surprisingly reasonable.

"If we want to grow as a species, we have to adapt. It has been the way of the Zerg ever since." Zagara continued. "But so far we have only adapted our bodies. In order to survive, we will have to change more than that. We need to completely reinvent ourselves if we want to be anything but the tool we have been so far." Was that...truly the same Zagara that had slaughtered endless hordes of enemies?

"So... what does that mean?" Stukov mumbled.

"I..." Zagara started. "...don't know." A moment of silence reigned supreme. And then... "But that won't mean that it isn't the right course of action. The Swarm in its current form is just a weapon. We deserve more. We deserve to be a species." Stukov didn't know wherever he should be impressed or scared when he heard that.

"I take it..." he mumbled. "...that I don't have any place in this brave new world of yours."

"Yes." Zagara confirmed his suspicions and looked back out of the window. "I have given the order to round up all infested Terrans and dispose of them. Their usefulness has come to an end."

"I am an infested Terran." Alexei mused. "So I guess that means my luck's run out." A part of him expected something to happen. Zagara was a broodmother, a formidable foe. If she would go all out, she would probably able to tear him apart. And that didn't even include her brood that would gladly die for her. And yet she didn't show any sign of hostility. Instead...

"You are infested, yes. But you were never a true member of the Swarm. There are a lot of things on my mind right now. So I will make this brief." And then she said what Stukov hadn't expected at all. "You may leave."

…

…

…

"Where?" he simply asked after a while but Zagara just waved with her hand.

"It matters not to me. Just leave. The Swarm no longer requires your service. The Queen of Blades cherished your presence. Though I doubt that she saw anything other in you than a pet." Now that was just hurtful. "But I have no reason to keep you around."

"Huh..." Stukov grunted when he heard that. "...I want to be honest: I wasn't expecting this. I'm not sure what to make of it. It's not like I have many places I can go and-"

"Perhaps I made myself not clear enough." Zagara snarled and skittered around until she was towering right in front of him. She leaned down until their faces were only inches apart. "I did not _ask_ you to leave. I'm ordering you to leave. If you do not want to do that, then you can join your infested brethren who are being turned into biomass as we speak. Or do you want to follow Dehaka's example?" There she was. Good old savage Zagara. A faint smile appeared on Stukov's face when he realized that he shouldn't push his luck any further.

"As tempting as that sounds, I think I'll pass."

"Too bad. A part of me had looked forward to find out who's the more capable warrior." Zagara sighed before turning her attention towards the organic window once more. "Then leave."

"As in: Now?"

"As in: Why are you still here?"

"Uhm..." Stukov looked around and frowned. "...you can't lend me an Overlord by any chance, can you?"

"I gave you your life. I think that's more than most can expect when dealing with the Zerg."

"Breathing in space is not one of my abilities, oh mighty Overqueen. For you gave me a choice between a quick death and a slow and agonizing death. All I ask for is a vessel to leave this leviathan. And you will never see me again."

"I won't give you one of my children, Stukov." Zagara sighed. "How you get off the leviathan is your problem." Well, wasn't that peachy?

"So, what am I supposed to do? Hold my breath?" Alexei sighed.

"Whatever you do, do it somewhere else. Now begone. Before I change my mind." the Overqueen declared. That's when she suddenly seemed to remember something. "...oh, before I forget. Her Majesty has left some Terran technology behind. I think it's what the humans call a "dropship". You know, these things that tend to explode all the time." Zagara looked Stukov one last time straight into the eyes. "Take it. I want it to be gone. You were once human, you should make it fly again. If not, well, then I will at least enjoy watching it explode. With you inside." When Stukov heard that, the faint smile on his face turned into a wide grin.

"Well, can't say no to a lady's gift." he chuckled.

"Not lady." Zagara corrected him. "Overqueen. Keep that in mind."

"I will." Alexei replied before he bowed down, like in one of those cheesy holo-vids. "Farewell, oh my Queen. So that we shall never see again." He then turned around and walked out of the organic room, straight towards an unknown future.

* * *

As Stukov sat inside the dropship, he couldn't help but to marvel.

"Seems like someone took good care of you." he whispered to himself. He wondered how Kerrigan had managed to get her hands on such a beauty.

Well, he couldn't ask her anymore. A quick glance out of the cockpit made him spot the enormous leviathan, growing smaller and smaller with each passing second until it was completely gone.

So, this was it, huh?

His time with the Zerg had finally come to an end.

Where to go now?

Back to the Koprulu Sector?

Obviously. This dropship wasn't really built for long-range missions. And there weren't many places where a mutated and infested human could go. The sewers of Dead Man's Port were an option but he wasn't nearly desperate enough for something like that. At least not yet.

Now that he was free again, he had to find a place where he wouldn't attract any attention. Easier said than done. Unless...

Alexei entered something into the nav-computer. News about current events flashed before his eyes as he was looking for something, something he had heard a while ago. Something about an outbreak that had been contained...

It took him a while but when he finally found the piece of information he was looking for, he knew that he had found the perfect hiding spot. And so Alexei programmed a new course into the computer and leaned back. It would take a while. He probably had to go into hibernation. The journey could take months, maybe even a year. But that didn't matter. The newsletters still warned that this planet a dangerous place, that infested roamed the wastelands. It was the perfect place for him to hide.

"Meinhoff, here I come." he whispered before Stukov's body succumbed to the effects of hibernation. Whatever the future would bring? He didn't know. But just like Zagara he too was looking forward to it. His mind was almost gone. Once there, he would-

 _Clank!_

Alexei's eyes shot open the moment he heard that sound. So, that's how it was about to go down, huh? A smile appeared on his face. Zagara hat mentioned explosions. Behind him he could hear something move. Probably a baneling. He had to hand it to Zagara: It was an easy and swift way to get rid of him. That way he didn't get the chance to fight her.

"Clever girl. Guess Kerrigan would be proud of you." he muttered. The creature behind him moved closer. And closer. He could already feel the hot and rancid breath filling the small cockpit. Stukov sighed and looked over his shoulder. A part of him hoped that Zagara had come up with something special to send him off. Not a cheap baneling. Maybe something unique. A hydralisk wearing the golden armor of a Protoss. That would be nice. But as Stukov lay gaze upon the creature right behind him, he frowned.

"Wait, I've seen you before." he mumbled.

Behind him was a Zergling. It was a Zergling like thousands of others, with one small exception. One of his long tusks was broken off. The creature stared at Alexei with angry eyes, yet didn't seem to be out for blood. It was more as if this critter was waiting...for something.

"Guess you and I have the same problem. The lady looking out for us isn't around anymore." Alexei mused. "I guess your new boss doesn't even know that you are here. Guess she would like to have you back. Then again..." A grin appeared on his mangled face. "...I'm sure the Swarm won't miss one measly Zergling. Right?" Stukov had actually no idea wherever this critter could understand him. All it did was to skitter and drool on the floor.

"I take that as a yes then. See? This day isn't so bad. Sure, I got kicked out by the boss, but I got a ship and an ugly dog in the divorce. Ha! That makes me a king among beggars!"

With the universe ahead of him, what could possibly go wrong?

* * *

" _...no..."_

Dan didn't know wherever it was his own voice of that of this Stukov-creature. Nothing made any sense anymore. It was like in this ancient story of a girl falling into a rabbit hole. And down there everything was the other way around. Big was small, fast was slow, and hope was despair. Or something like that.

" _NO!"_ the voice boomed through his head. Dan felt how he was let go and how his body smashed on the cold floor. Some of his mangled bones broke, but it hardly mattered anymore. The pain was so all-consuming that it caused every fiber of his body to slowly tear.

And yet even then there was still a tiny spark of life inside him. One that was about to finally vanish.

"Too much! I don't want to remember!" Stukov howled and stumbled away on his many legs. "Forgotten! All forgotten! Back to sleep! I want to forget everything!"

"You...and me both, pal..." Dan managed to groan before his consciousness finally succumbed to all the pain. He managed to catch a glimpse of the creature called Stukov waddling away while howling in pain and distress. It was quite a spectacle, too. Stukov grabbed parts of his own body and simply ripped them off. Arms, legs, tentacles, horns, claws, and tusks, it didn't matter. Some of all that blood landed on Dan, yet he didn't care anymore.

When Stukov was finally gone, all that could be heard was Dan's ragged breath.

So, this was it.

Dan felt how the pain started to fade away. A weak smile appeared on his face when he realized what was happening.

He was finally dying.

His mind started to slip away, and with it all that pain. Finally. Soon the pain was replaced by something else. Something warm...something gentle. For some odd reason he had to think about Paula. Which was kinda odd since she was the _last_ person in this universe, he wanted to think of right now.

It was as if a golden light suddenly engulfed him. Was this the light people claimed to see when they were dying? If so...

...then this wasn't so bad.

 **Geez, look at this mess!**

"Kerr...igan?" Dan whispered when he suddenly heard her voice again, only this time it was everywhere.

 **There are not enough headache pills in the universe to fix this...**

There was no doubt about it: The voice sounded almost exactly like that of Paula.

Almost...

"It would seem that your daughter has found yet another way to cause chaos and mischief." That voice belonged to someone else. To a woman. And for some odd reason Dan recognized that voice, yet he couldn't really say from where...

 **Cut it, Izsha. I am** so not in the mood for this right now." It was as if the voice became normal all of a sudden. "Let's get them back and fix whatever Paula broke." And then Dan noticed how someone stood right above him. "Starting with this guy."

* * *

 **Well, I guess this time I should add an afterword. Now you know how Stukov got hold of the dropship. If you want to know how he ended up on the Hyperion with it, check out chapter 31 of act II of my other story "Putting the Pieces back together". It's called "That's what you get for leaving the engine running." Phew, now I'm actually glad that I added an index to that thing.**

 **And I'm pretty sure some people well be surprised that I finished off Dehaka in this story (actually in the prequel too). Well, what can I say? We all have our favorite characters, and Dehaka was none of mine. Instead I decided to built a monument of Izsha.**

 **As for the Zergling with the broken tusk and Jim's dropship: Those two things were always loose ends that somehow bothered me. Tiny details, but still somewhat annoying. So yeah, I thought it would be nice to see them again. Just like the question what happened to the crystal and the Zerg that Stetmann was researching on the Hyperion. You people have to decide if I actually came up with a somewhat decent idea.**


	16. Chapter 16

**So, it's time for the story to move along. The former Queen Bitch of the universe has finally arrived, only without the queen and the bitch part. As Ander Arias has pointed out in his/her comment: Does this mean that the story is almost over?**

 **No. It just means that it will switch gears. And the perspective. Expect less Paula in the next chapters and a lot more "everyone else".**

* * *

 **Chapter 16**

 **Leave it to the semi-professionals**

* * *

''Come on! We don't have any time!" Jim barked as he pushed the two young women forward. Both figuratively. And, in Sirella's case, literally.

"I... ah...can't...ah...go...ah...on...any...more..." the young Protoss panted.

"You don't even have a mouth, how can you even be out of breath?!" Paula squealed behind those two. She was making up the rear and looking over her shoulder every two seconds, making sure that no one was following them.

"You...still...don't...know...anything...about...Protoss'...physiology...you are...a damn...ignorant..." Paula's "friend" managed to squeeze out.

"Ladies..." Jim snarled as he kept pushing the taller and heavier Protoss forward.

"Should we...die...then I want...people to know...that it's all...Paula's fault!"

"That's not what a friend should say about another friend!" Paula protested.

"Ladies...!"

"I'm honestly thinking...about...revoking...my friendship..."

"LADIES!" Jim shouted, only to realize that yelling in this situation was probably the worst thing he could do. "Get it together. The ammunition bunker is straight ahead. Once we are there, we will barricade ourselves inside and wait for the cavalry to arrive." Oh, he so not looked forward to explaining this to _her_.

"I'm so not looking forward to explain this to _her_..." Jim could hear his daughter mutter behind him and realized that she had just thought the exact same thing he had.

"Yeah, well, don't sweat it, kiddo. She'll probably roast both of us for this mess. So, cheer up." he chuckled.

"Why should she blame _you_ for this mess? You didn't cause it!" Paula whined.

"It's simple. Everything you do right, that's because you're her daughter. Everything you do wrong? Well, that's because you are _my_ daughter. A mother's logic. Don't argue with it. Ever."

"Noted." his child whispered. Even though he was not psionically gifted, he knew that Paula felt terrible. And perhaps it was the ultimate proof of Jim's parenting skills that he managed to look over his shoulder while pushing Sirella forward and smile at his child.

"Don't worry, kiddo. We'll get out of this. And then we will laugh our asses off."

"How can you be so certain about that?" Paula wanted to know.

"Because..." he replied. "...I've survived worse." And that wasn't even a lie. No matter how horrible this situation seemed to be, Jim knew that it was nothing when compared to the stuff he had endured when he had been a young man. And this time he only had to manage to keep everyone alive until his better half arrived.

"You know...your mother actually once suggested to me to teach me some tricks, should I ever end up in a situation like this." Jim remembered.

"Getting chased through a derelict battlecruiser by a horrible mutated infested Terran?"

"Yeah, well, you'd be surprised how familiar all this feels." her father muttered. "I declined. Told her that we should all stick to what what we're good at."

"You totally should have accepted her offer." Paula groaned.

"I guess so..." Jim whispered and made a mental note to himself never to do such a thing. If he would, _her_ smug grin would haunt him for the rest of all of eternity. "...up ahead! There's the blast-door!" And indeed, they had almost reached their destination.

Ammunition bunkers were nothing unusual on board of a vessel build for combat. History was full of examples where a lucky shot had hit a magazine, resulting in a catastrophic explosion, usually taking down the entire ship. So, in order to minimize the risk of something like that to happen, ammunition bunkers had been created; especially reinforced rooms that were made out of hardened materials and possessed specifically designed weak-points. Should a hit actually manage to penetrate the walls of the bunker and cause the ammunition inside to explode, the force of the explosion would be led through specifically designed weak-spots, ensuring the survival of the vessel.

But every system had its limits, and Jim remembered at least half a dozen times when a battlecruiser had succumbed to such a fate, when even the ammunition bunkers hadn't been able to save those vessels from their doom.

Still, the ammunition bunkers were the sturdiest parts of the Hyperion, and Jim was certain that, whatever Stukov had become, even that guy wouldn't be able to force his/it's way through those blast-doors.

"I don't think...I can...go on...anymore." Sirella gasped. Jim had a hard time to push her forward and to keep her from falling over. Even though the young Protoss was not nearly as massive as a warrior in full armor, he would still have a hard time pulling her into safety.

"Sirella..." Jim snarled. "Hang on! I won't be able to pull you to safety!" She looked over her shoulder and her eyes widened in disbelief.

"Did you just call me _fat_?!" she whined.

"I didn't know that Protoss could even get fat!" Jim tried to apologize.

"Now I know...where Paula...has her un-knowledge...of Protoss' physiology from."

"Like I said..." Jim whispered. "...she got all her flaws from me. Ask her mother."

"I think...I will..." Sirella panted. "I will...tell her everything! And then...I will ask her...to lock Paula away...for the next...I don't know... _as long as I live_..." Now it was Jim who looked over his shoulder.

"You two really should sit down and talk this out. A friendly advice, you know. From your old man." he muttered.

"Meh, Sirella has no sense of adventure." Paula tried to joke.

"Doesn't surprise me. Her grandfather is just the same."

"Leave...Grandpa...Artanis...out of this!" Sirella protested.

"We are just here for him, remember? Also-" Paula started when suddenly Jim looked over his shoulder.

"You're here because of old grumpy? Seriously?" And then a shocked expression appeared on his face. "Oh no! Don't tell me you dragged old grumpy out here too! Where is he? You know he can't travel anymore! It's way too dry on Flemmington anyway! He will shrivel up and just turn to dust!"

"We didn't bring Artanis out here, Dad, don't be ridiculous!" Paula protested. "Also: Stop talking about him as if he's a plant that needs some water."

"I don't...know...Paula..." Sirella panted. "...Grandpa...kinda does look...like a shriveled potato..."

"Not you too..." the young woman whispered. Making fun of her childhood-hero was a sure way to ruin her mood. Then again, Jim was to blame for Artanis being Paula's childhood-hero. Right next to individuals like Fenix and Tassadar. And let's not forget the most heroic of them all: Zeratul. To Paula, these names were the names or real heroes! And it was a certain topic to sour her mother's mood for good.

To think that someone named Kerrigan would squeal in joy when hearing about the heroics of Artanis, Zeratul, Tassadar and Fenix...

Before they could continue with this bickering, Jim noticed something ahead. A relieved expression appeared on his face and he pushed Sirella even harder.

"There it is! Ammunition bunker ahead! Come on, girls! Use those feet! Gogogo!" he barked. Sirella tried her best, yet she was in a pitiful shape. Not only for a Protoss, but even when compared to a human. A human with a lousy stamina. When they finally reached the open blast-door, Jim pushed Sirella through and stopped in order to turn around. Paula slipped past him and he pointed his gun at the dark corridor behind them. So far Stukov hadn't found them, yet Jim was pretty certain that this thing, this guy was still looking for them. Either he wanted to eat them or he wanted to infest them. And Jim wasn't certain which one was the worse fate.

"Paula, can you operate the door?" he asked without looking at his daughter.

"Pressing a single red button? I think I can handle." she replied.

"Good, get to it. Close this thing." he ordered.

"Uhm..." Jim could hear the confused voice of Paula. "...I don't want to sound rude or anything, Dad...but shouldn't you be inside the ammunition bunker when we seal it? Not outside?" She was right. Jim was standing right in front of the blast-door. He looked over his shoulder and flashed her a smile.

"Ah, don't worry about your old man. Just close the door. I will play some hide and seek with this freak." He noticed how Paula's eyes widened in shock.

"What? No!" she protested. "That's stupid, you can't stay outside! Stukov's gonna tear you apart! He's out of his mind and knows only pain. He will-"

"Paula." Jim interrupted her and walked over to his daughter. He placed his hands on her cheeks and looked the young woman straight into the eyes. "I know what I'm doing. Trust me. Have some faith in your old man, yes?" Yet all Jim managed to do was to make his daughter cry. Golden tears streamed down her face.

"Dad, no! This is my fault, you don't have to do this! I can-"

"This is _not_ your fault, Paula." Jim said with a surprisingly gentle tone in his voice.

"I know...she's your daughter...and all..." Sirella panted and sat down. "...but it's pretty obvious...who's to blame...for this mess."

"She's right." Paula whispered and lowered her gaze. "This is my fault. I shouldn't have come and-"

"No." Jim replied with a stern tone in his voice. "It isn't." He knew that neither Paula nor Sirella were believing him. But it was the truth. You can't blame someone for just being who they are. Especially if they have no clue _what_ they are.

"But-" Paula tried to protest. That's when she was cut short by her father.

"Enough of that. You are your mother's child after all. Only a Kerrigan enjoys playing this blame-game."

"I don't-"

"It's okay, Paula. You tried. I know that. You bit off more than you could chew. And you wanted to do this on your own. I get that. Just stay here and let me do what I'm best at." Jim told his child.

"Moral support?" Paula whispered, which earned her a grin from her father.

"Yeah, well, maybe I got a few more talents. Some that are actually useful in situations like this. You and Sirella stay here, where you are safe. If anything happens to you two, I won't hear the end of it, from either your mother or Artanis."

"I'm...fine with that...plan." a visibly exhausted Sirella mumbled. Jim looked his daughter once more into the eyes and searched for the answer he was looking for.

"Okay?" he whispered and pointed at the emergency override right next to the door. "There's the override. Now, this is an ammunition-bunker. So, there's another one outside that can override this one. Since, you know, this place is mean to keep stuff that might explode on the inside. This ain't no saferoom after all. So, once I'm outside, I'm gonna lock you in but leave the override-function active. That way, if all things go south, you can still open the bunker from the inside. You got that?" Paula sniffled a few times before she nodded.

"The blast-door is operated from the other side and without override, you are stuck inside this thing. Got that." she told him and took a deep breath. "Thanks for the info."

"Yeah, well, that's what parents are there fo-wait, what did you just say?" Jim stuttered. But before he could even react, Paula grabbed her father and made him trip over her leg.

"SUNNOFA-" Paula's father shouted as he stumbled deeper into the ammunition bunker and landed straight on his face. The young woman wasted no time and ran outside. She grabbed the lever that was supposed to close the blast-door.

"Sorry, Pa, but I ain't done yet! I created this mess, I'm gonna fix it!" Paula declared. She didn't sound like a scared and vulnerable (and ashamed) young woman anymore but like the cocky brat that Sirella hated so much. "Also: I still need to find Zeratul!"

"Paula, what the hell are you thinking?!" Jim barked and got back on his feet. "Don't you dare to pull that lever! I take everything back, you are in so much trouble, young lady!"

"We can talk this out later, Dad. Hold on tight!" And then she pulled the lever...

...and nothing happened.

…

…

…

"Oh, come on!" Paula yelled. "Can you make up your mind, dammit?! Either everything should work or nothing should work, but this is getting annoying!"

"Young lady! I think I just chose the wrong approach!" Jim growled. "You are so grounded! If your mother hears about that, then-" He had almost reached her when suddenly the ancient mechanism sprang to life and the heavy and reinforced blast-door came crushing down, locking both him and Sirella in inside the ammunition bunker. Jim couldn't believe what he was seeing and slammed his fist against the cold and hard steel of the door.

"Paula! PAULA! Open the door, dammit!" But it was futile. He ran over to the lever on his side of the door and pulled it down, yet nothing happened.

"Good thing...that you explained her...how that security override...works..." Sirella panted, yet Jim was too furious to care about that.

"I don't care about what you will say about this mess, Sarah..." he growled as he clenched his hands into fists. "...she's got that from you!" Yet when he felt his trembling fists, he noticed another thing. Jim's eyes widened in shock as he looked around. That's when he realized...

...that the Marshal's gun was gone.

* * *

"Well, since I'll be grounded for life anyway...what the hell." Paula mused as she stared at the blast-door. She wiped a tear of her face and couldn't hide the smug grin on her face. Crying on command? Now _that_ was a skill she had mastered a long time ago. And you know what? So far, this unique skill had never failed her. There was simply no one in this universe that could stay mad at her if she was crying.

Except her aunt Izsha.

Sure, her father would probably be raging for the next couple of centuries, and she wouldn't hear the end of it anytime soon. But she had come here for a reason, and she was not done. Not by a longshot. Besides, now that her father was here, she no longer had to worry about Sirella. He was more than capable of looking after her friend, making sure that she wouldn't end up as Stukov's next meal.

"In hindsight...I guess I shouldn't have brought her along in the first place." Paula muttered. Then again, pretty much everyone she knew had told her that Sirella should see more about the world, to broaden her horizon. As an aspiring artist, she should see the places with her own eyes! So, in a way Paula had done her friend a favor!

She was such a good friend!

They should give her a medal for all of her effort!

"Well, better get to work then. Still got something to do." Paula muttered and turned around. As she walked away, she could hear how something hammered against the thick blast-door. Probably her father, screaming and cursing as if her mother's "no cursing!"-policy had never been in effect at all. Too bad, she would have loved to hear some of those curses. When it came to that, her father was still the unmatched master of all that is vile and should never be spoken out.

As Paula walked away from the ammunition-bunker, she realized that something was wrong. She couldn't really put her finger on it...not until her finger brushed over the trigger of the gun in her hand. She stopped and looked at the pistol. Weird. She had never used a gun in her life. Perhaps she should have left it with her father, he was more than capable of handling a weapon. But they should be safe inside that ammunition-bunker. Besides, even though this whole trip had been nothing but a gigantic nightmare, so far no one had been hurt...

...well, _terminally_ hurt.

"Let's keep it that way, shall we?" Paula muttered when she spotted a small hatch nearby. She walked over to it and opened it. It was a garbage-hatch and when Paula looked down the dark hole, she simply tossed the gun down the hatch, closed it and walked away.

"Well, let's get going. Before even more things go south."

* * *

"Professor?" the young man named Ashton mumbled as he stood right next to his fellow students. And, of course, the Professor. "Do you think this is really a wise idea?"

Yet it wasn't Allagan who answered that question.

"They've been gone for some time now." someone else mumbled. Everyone could hear the anxiety in the woman's voice. Deidre, that was her name. Deidre Fisher. An average student, but easily to inspire and an earnest and hard worker. Professor Allagan suddenly remembered that he still had to finish correcting her mid-term homework, something that he would rather do right now than standing in front of this dark hole that didn't look like the path to an archaeological sensation but the pits of hell.

"Maybe we should head back to the capital and get help?" Ashton offered. Perhaps they should.

"Perhaps they're hurt and need help." Deidre replied. She was by no means ready to storm the castle, nor was she any braver than the rest of the group. They were scientists and students, the biggest problem they had encountered so far was that their morning coffee was either too strong or too hot. Besides, if someone like Marshal Bowski was down there, then everything was fine, right?

"Professor, what should be do?" another student asked. Allagan bit on his lip when he heard that question. He knew why they were asking but wished they wouldn't. He was a professor, not a marshal and certainly not an adventurer.

"I suppose we should head back to the city and look for help." Allagan mused. He wasn't able to hide his own insecurity, something no good leader should do. But he was not a leader, he was just a random civilian. His expertise wasn't the field but the world of books. He had only come out here because the value of the suspected artifact below the surface of this world had outweighed all other concerns. And, maybe, the fact that he would go down in history as the scientist who had discovered (or helped to discover) an ancient battlecruiser from the time of the foundation of the Empire had helped a bit too.

Professor Allagan was not an arrogant man. He was humble and kind. But he had to admit...

...being called the man who "had achieved something" had a nice ring to it.

"But...what about the people down below? We can't just leave them here, can we?" Deidre mused. What was he expect to tell them? Without anyone to guide them, they were unable to come up with a solution themselves. Bowski was the one barking orders, and even though Allagan disliked the grumpy attitude of the man, he respected his authority. Or at least was afraid to question it. And even Paula Kerrigan, no matter how reckless she was, at least knew how to take the initiative and tell people what to do...even if that usually ended in a disaster of epic proportion.

Speaking of disasters of epic proportion...

"I suppose we should go and see the Magistrate, tell her what this is all about. I...I think she knows what to do. She can send more people out here." Allagan mused.

"But what if they enter the derelict? They might damage the artifacts inside!" another member of his team wanted to know. "I mean no offense, but if we allow just any random person to go down there, we might do more damage than good!"

"We are talking about lives here." Deidre replied. "Maybe the Marshal, Kerrigan and that Protoss are injured. Maybe they need help."

"We don't know that." Ashton protested. "Perhaps we should wait a bit longer and-"

"And what if we do that and they are in grave danger?!" Deidre snorted. "When Janice was lost, they didn't hesitate. They went down there and got her back!" That was a fair point and right now Jerome Allagan felt like garbage for not doing what seemed to be the right thing to do. Yes, he was afraid. So afraid, in fact, that he was desperately looking for a way out of this mess without looking like a coward in front of his students and the rest of the team.

"I think we should vote!" a new voice suddenly spoke up. Allagan didn't recognize it, but he was too busy staring down the dark hole that led into the insides of the Hyperion. "Everyone who's in favor of going down there says "cheese cake" and everyone who wants to run away like a bunch of little pu...I mean cowards say "Wakka wakka wakka!"."

…

…

…

Everyone fell silent and they all turned around, looking at the man who had just said that. When Allagan looked at the man, he frowned.

"Who...are you? And where did you come from?"

Right between them was a man no one had seen before. He was skinny, had short red hair and looked rather sickly. It didn't stop him from grinning like an idiot though.

"Who, good old me?" the man asked and looked around. "Sometimes I ask myself that question. And where I come from. Where we all come from. Is there really a god? And if so, why does she hate it if I curse? Shouldn't cursing be the right of every sentient being? Isn't it the ultimate expression of a free mind? Where do we come from? Where do we go? And why can't we just scream profanities whenever we feel like? It is-"

That's when suddenly a new voice behind the group stopped this dreadful monologue.

"Are you done?" an inhumanly deep voice asked and some gasped in surprise when they noticed that there was a Protoss standing right next to him.

"How did you-" Professor Allagan gasped. He was no expert on Protoss but even he could tell that this one wasn't Sirella. This Protoss was taller, bulkier. And his voice sounded as if it belonged to a male.

"As a matter of fact: I wasn't!" the redhead protested.

"Well, now you are!" the Protoss shot back. "Why did you have to drag me out here anyway?"

"Because Niadra's too fat. Also, Karax told me to get lost."

"That still doesn't explain why you brought _me_ along!" the tall Protoss growled. He was massive and far more imposing than Sirella. "You always brag that you have more daughters than hairs on your bu-"

"Leave my girls out of this!" the man replied. "They got better things to do than...whatever we're supposed to do."

"Then what are we supposed to do?"

"I don't know, I only work here, man!" the redhead shouted. "All I know is that we should meet those two here. Speaking of which..." He then turned his attention at Jerome and his people. "'Scuse me, Gentlebeings, but have you seen two lovely ladies around here? One tall, dark and mysterious, with a fine sense of humor. And the other one...is there too."

"Smooth. I make sure she knows about that." the Protoss mumbled.

"Uhm...pardon me." Allagan said. "But... _who_ are you?" The Protoss and the redhead exchanged knowing looks, until the human sighed and offered his hand to the Professor.

"Joseph Brent, master gardener, awesome father and occasionally savior of the known universe." the man explained.

"Wow. There are at least two lies in that statement." the Protoss whispered yet Brent didn't seem to care about that at all. He grabbed Allagan's hand, who was still baffled by these two newcomers, and shook it.

"Don't listen to big grumpy over there. He's just pis...he just doesn't want to be out here in the desert, makes his skin dry out."

"I... uhm..." Allagan stuttered. Who were these two? Brent? He knew someone by that name. Professor Izsha Brent. A brilliant historian who excelled on the field of Zerg-research. He had worked with that woman before. But this guy...was he somehow related to the her? No, that couldn't be. The name had to be a coincidence. "Are you...sent here by the Magistrate?" Both Joseph and the Protoss exchanged quick glances and then the man shrugged his shoulders.

"Sure, why not." Joseph replied. "That big guy over there is Tesson by the way. Don't let his lack of humor fool you: He's a cold-hearted bastard."

"I thought you were afraid of cursing?" Tesson growled.

"Bastard is no word, it's a description. One that fits the bill I might add."

"Once this is over, I'm going to throw you down a cliff."

"Empty threats. You wouldn't dare."

"I threw Paula down a cliff. So, what do you think?" Tesson asked. Joseph opened his mouth, ready to reply something before he hesitated. And after a while...

"Okay, fair point. Let's talk about this later. Right now, we-"

"Just WHO are you people?!" Jerome Allagan yelled and interrupted their bickering. It was brutally clear to pretty much everyone that they were in fact _not_ sent here by the Magistrate.

"Moral support." Joseph declared. "What you said: Magistrate sent us. Just leave the rest to the professionals."

"Then what's the name of the Magistrate?" Allagan asked. Joseph opened his mouth again and was about to reply something but then he fell silent again.

"By the Ancestors, I wish I could record this moment and show it to the entire universe." Tesson sighed. "Joseph Brent speechless." He turned towards Allagan and bowed his head. "I want you to know that I will be forever in your debt for making this man look like a complete idiot."

"Hey, no cursing!" Joseph protested.

" _Idiot is no word, it's a description. One that fits the bill I might add."_ Tesson mocked his companion.

"Should have brought Niadra along." Joseph growled.

"Too late for that." the Protoss mumbled. Only then Allagan's eyes widened in shock when he realized the truth.

"You...are looters!" he gasped and immediately the other members of the expedition backed away.

"Yeah, sure, you got us. We are looters. Give us all your...uhm...do you use money out here?" Brent mumbled.

"We are _not_ looters." Tesson sighed and tried to defuse the situation. "We are...uh..." When he didn't manage to find the right words, Joseph started to snicker.

"By the guys you worship, I wish I could record this moment and show it to the entire universe." he mocked his companion. It was hard to take these two serious, which helped to defuse the situation even without them trying.

"I demand to know: Who are you? What are you doing here?" the Professor said. He clenched his hands into fists and his whole body trembled. Not because he was afraid. Well, that was only partially true. He was afraid, very much so. But at the same time, he felt a cold rage inside his chest. Whoever these two were, they didn't seem to be very dangerous. Aside from the fact that one of them was a Protoss that was nearly three meters tall and looked as if he weighed more than 300 kilograms...

"We are farmers." Tesson said. He didn't even try to sound convincing.

"Yeah, dirt farmers." Joseph agreed.

"Yes. He's the dirt, I'm the farmer." the Protoss continued.

"Yep, that is...hey!" the redhead protested. "Are you gonna do that forever now?"

"Only until I find a cliff."

"You are not farmers!" the Professor declared, which caused Joseph to chuckle.

"My, you _are_ a sharp one! What gave us away?" Brent wanted to know.

"I will ask one last time..." the Professor gasped. "...who are you? And what do you want? If you are here to loot this derelict, then I swear I will-"

"A fair warning..." a new voice suddenly interrupted him. This one belonged to a woman. And it almost sounded...ethereal. "...do not take anything serious that comes out this man's mouth." Everyone turned around and looked at yet another newcomer. A goofy smile appeared on Brent's face when he spotted the woman. Now he was no longer the only redhead, how fun!

"Hey, Sarah. How's life? And how's the offspring doing? Causing mischief and acts of domestic terrorism?"

"Point A: Yes. Point B: Not sure yet, but highly possible. And I blame you for that." the beautiful woman replied. Joseph gasped in shock when he heard that and made a step back.

"What? Blame me? But why, oh why? I have never ever told her to go out there and do crazy stuff like that. Except, you know, when I did. Last time last Friday I think."

…

…

…

There was another awkward moment of silence and the woman sighed before rubbing her eyes before she took a deep breath and started to count.

"Ten. Nine. Eight. Seven. Six. Five..." Her words trailed off yet no one dared to stop her. The woman's lips continued to move and no one dared to interrupt her until she was done counting down to one. "Okay, let's do this." And then she turned towards Allagan, who realized that he had seen this woman before, some years ago on Earth...

"Pardon me for these two being, well, themselves." the woman declared and offered her hand to the Professor. "My name is Sarah Kerrigan and-"

"Kerrigan?" the Professor stuttered. "As in-"

"Yes. You heard right. You already made the acquaintance of my daughter, Paula. I hope she didn't cause you too much distress." Sarah Kerrigan explained. "If she did, then forget what I just said. The name is Kluivert. Sarah Kluivert." Next to her Joseph started to snicker when he heard that.

"Your daughter?" Allagan mumbled. "But...that can't be right. You look way too young for that." When Sarah heard that, a toothy grin appeared on her face.

"Oh, I like where this is going!" she replied. "Also: Don't let my youthful look fool you. I've been around." And then her smile vanished. "But don't you _dare_ calling me old."

"She doesn't like that." Joseph mumbled.

"Yes, whatever you do: Do not call her old." Tesson agreed. Both of them shuddered as if they were just remembering something horrible, something vile, something utterly nightmarish..." Like when someone had accidentally congratulated Sarah Kerrigan on being "officially the oldest woman in the history of the universe". The planet she had destroyed after that had been a lifeless rock, but still...

Some of the old fire still remained.

"Anyway!" Sarah then declared and her smile reappeared. "Back to my illustrious daughter. From what I've gathered she has found this ancient husk of a worthless scrapheap and now everyone's gone bonkers. That sounds about right?"

"Uhm...this is a priceless archaeological discovery. I think calling it worthle-" Allagan protested.

"Ohohoho, no!" Sarah interrupted them. "The Hyperion was already a piece of scrap back in the old days, I'm pretty sure that hasn't changed by being buried under tons of dust and rubble." That statement caused Allagan to frown. Back in the old days? The Professor squinted his eyes and when he took a closer look at the woman.

"I think we have met before..." he mumbled. "...a few years back. Where did-"

"Oh, yeah, I remember." Sarah interrupted him. "Earth. The exhibit on Korprulean history. You even got most things right. I especially enjoyed the part about the Swarm. Oh, and the "Horner's Raiders". Made for a few good laughs back home."

"You...and Paula...related? But how...?" Allagan stuttered.

"Yeah, the galaxy's a small place. Funny how that works, eh'?" Sarah sighed before looking at the gathered mass of people. "Trust me, when I got up this morning, I didn't imagine the day playing out quite like this. Then again, I guess it is the proof that the universe still finds ways to surprise me, even after all those years." Sarah shrugged her shoulders. "Kids, let me tell you. Want a tip? Don't have them. They're a hassle and they never do anything you tell them to do. And they especially do everything you explicitly tell them not to do." Suddenly an annoyed grunt escaped her lips and she placed one of her hand on her belly. Sarah looked down and frowned.

"No, I'm not talking about you." she whispered. "You haven't done anything wrong. I'm talking exclusively about your older sister."

"Pardon me, but I do think we deserve an explanation." Allagan spoke. "If you are not looters, if you are truly who you claim you are, then why did you come out here?"

"I tell you once I figured it out myself." Sarah sighed. "Anyway, I thank you for your efforts so far but me and the boys are going to wing it from here. I suggest that you return to your camp and wait for us to clean up this mess and then we're on our merry way. How does that sound?"

"I am sorry but I cannot allow this! This is an archaeological dig-site and no amateur should mess with this place." the Professor protested, which caused Sarah to snicker.

"Boy, it's been ages since someone called me an "amateur". Hoho. Good thing Jim isn't around. Speaking of Jim..." Sarah looked at Tesson. "I can sense him down there. And he's raging. Hard. Guess Paula found yet another way to drive us mad."

"She's your brat." Tesson muttered. "Like mother, like child."

"Oh, she got that from her father!" Sarah shot back, which caused both Tesson and Joseph to exchange knowing looks, which seem to irritate her even further. "What?"

"Nothing!" the two replied at the exact same time.

"Ugh, you two are insufferable." Sarah growled before she turned her attention back at Allagan. "Anyway, you should get back to the camp. We got this. I promise that we won't do anything reckless."

"Absolutely not!" Allagan protested. "I cannot allow anyone to enter this derelict who doesn't know a thing about how to handle a dig-site! Only professionals should be allowed to enter this place!"

And that's when another voice reached their ears. It too belonged to a woman, yet unlike the warm and slightly amused (and annoyed) sound of Sarah's voice, this one sounded cool and under control. Everyone reacted differently when they heard that voice. Sarah sighed while Tesson dropped his shoulders. Joseph, like usual, was grinning like an idiot. Only this time even more so than usual. And there was a good reason for that.

The Missus hat arrived.

Allagan gasped in surprise when he spotted the woman. Unlike Sarah, who was wearing casual clothes, this one looked as if she had been in a business meeting mere moments ago. How someone would come out here wearing such clothes was beyond Allagan's comprehension. What baffled him even more, however, was the fact that he recognized this woman immediately because he had already worked with her before, back on Earth when he had helped to organize the extremely successful exhibit on Koprulean history. One of the leading experts had been a female professor from said Koprulo Sector, a woman that he had learned to both admire...and fear.

"P-Professor Brent?!" Allagan gasped. The woman that stood in front of them looked exactly how you would imagine a strict teacher. She looked at Allagan and squinted her eyes.

"Professor Allagan. It has been some time. How have you been?" she asked casually as if there was nothing surprising about the fact that they were finally face to face again on a random world at the ass' end of the galaxy.

"I... uhm...eh..." the Professor stuttered. "Is this...how...how did you get here? Is this...some kind of joke?"

"I wish it were..." Sarah sighed. Next to her, Joseph's grin became absurdly wide.

"Hey, Babe." he said. "Missed me much?"

"No." Professor Izsha Brent replied.

"Hehehehe..." Tesson snickered when he heard that. "...guess someone's getting the cold shoulder."

"You don't even know what that means." Joseph shot back. The two faced each other and were about to start another bickering-conquest when Sarah intervened.

"Well, the gang's here. Or at least most of it. So how about-" she started when Izsha simply interrupted her as she turned towards Professor Allagan.

"Professor, it is a delight to see you again. I read your latest work on cultural exchange between the Koprulu Sector and Earth. It was quite..."

"Enlightening?" Allagan offered.

"Hilarious." Izsha explained, which caused Allagan's ego to visible deflate.

"Oh..." he muttered.

"I especially enjoyed the part where you claimed that the Zerg had no real part on the development of human society. Have you not listened to my lectures that I gave during my time on Earth?"

"Zerg are awesome?" Allagan mumbled, which put a faint smile on Izsha's face.

"So, you did listen to my lectures. Very well, I shall let it slide. For now."

"Great, now that we are all here and-" Sarah started again, only to be cut short by Izsha once more almost immediately.

"Professor Allagan, I understand that you are worried about the derelict and the artifacts inside." Izsha simply continued as if Sarah wasn't even there. Neither did she seem to notice how her friend's eyelid started to twitch. "Rest assured: We have not come here to take that away from you. If it helps, then I can give you my promise that we will treat this place with the utmost care." Sarah nodded when she heard that.

"Yes, and we will be-"

"I promise that it will not take long." Izsha interrupted her again. "We have just been dragged out here to reclaim the little Prin...to bring Paula back and to make sure that she will never ever leave her room, for all of eternity, at least until she has found a mate and/or wants to reclaim the Swarm in order to lead the Zerg to glory again."

To say that there was an awkward moment of silence would be the understatement of the century.

"Uhm...what?" Sarah muttered.

"Did you just say...reclaim the Swarm?" Allagan gasped. Izsha looked at him, blinked a few times, and then...

"That was a joke." she said with a tone in her voice that lacked any sense of humor whatsoever.

"Alright, let's get this over with. I got important things to do. So important that I can't even name them." Tesson mumbled and straightened himself. "Everyone who's not a Protoss, a professor or a retard-"

"Hey!" both Sarah and Joseph barked at the exact same time.

"...may now go back to the camp. Fail to do so and I'm going to beat you all up and drag you there. Your choice, people."

"You're bluffing!" someone shot back. It was Ashton. Tesson chuckled when he heard that and leaned down until their faces were almost on the same level.

"Hohoho. Do you know how the skin of a Protoss feels like, girl?" the huge Protoss asked and suddenly the young man started to shiver as he realized just how _big_ Tesson was.

"I'm a man, not a woman..." Ashton whimpered.

"Do I look as if I care?" Tesson shot back.

"Uhm...no?"

"And? Do you know how a Protoss' skin feels like?"

"Ehm...also no?"

"Well, if you fail to do as I say, then you get your chance to find out. When I sink my fist in your face. How does that sound?" Tesson chirped in a way-too-friendly way.

"Painful?"

"I see we have found common ground. And they say humans are illogical creatures. You do your species proud, young human." Tesson declared. "Now get lost." And much to everyone's surprise the students and members of the research-team did as they were told. Except for one...

"Yo', dude." Joseph groaned and looked at Allagan. "Big gray over here just told you to leave."

"No." Allagan mumbled. "He said, and I shall quote: Everyone who's not a Protoss, a professor or a retard...and I am a professor."

"Huh, he got you there, big guy." Joseph mumbled.

"I should have come alone..." Sarah whispered and shook her head before taking a deep breath. "Fine, he can come with us." That caused Tesson, Joseph and Izsha to stare at her in disbelief. "What?" she asked. "It's not like he's going to believe any of what he's about to see. And even if: Who's gonna believe him?"

"That's one way to look at it." Joseph muttered.

"I agree with Joseph, your Majesty." Izsha declared. "It seems to be a rather...retarded thing to do."

"He, can't even remember the last time when you called me "Your Majesty". Kinda miss that, to be honest." Sarah chuckled before turning around and walking over to the hole in the ground that led into the innards of the long-forgotten battlecruiser. As she stared down the hole, she crossed her arms in front of her chest and frowned. Behind her Tesson and Joseph started to hush the students and researchers away while Allagan was doing his best to not have anyone beaten up by a Protoss. She did notice how a certain someone approached her from behind. And when Izsha stood right next to her, Sarah sighed.

"Izsha, I need to ask you something serious." she mumbled.

"The Little One did not tell me anything about this. At all." Izsha replied. They didn't have to read each other's thoughts to know what was going on inside their heads. After all that time they knew each other in and out. And even though Izsha was a master of keeping her emotions in check, Sarah was certain that she could hear some indignation in her friend's voice. As if she was annoyed by the fact that the Little One hadn't told her about any of this.

"I don't know if I should be impressed that she found this piece of crap on her own, without telling anyone, or mad as a hatter for making us come out here." Sarah wondered.

"Is she down there?" Izsha asked. "I can smell her, but not much else."

"Oh yeah, she's down there alright." Sarah replied. "I can sense her all over the place." Both women stared at the hole for a long time until Izsha spoke up again.

"You could end this now." she mused. "Just get down there, get them out and fix whatever went wrong."

"I suppose so." Sarah mumbled.

"But you won't." That wasn't a question.

"But I won't." she confirmed Izsha's suspicion. "I have no idea why Paula came out here. Is it because of all that stupid stories Jim told her when she was younger? Or does she want to prove something?"

"To you?" Izsha asked. "She knows she doesn't have to do that."

"Maybe not to me. Maybe she wants to prove it to herself." And then an annoyed groan escaped Sarah's lips. "I swear, Izsha, she inherited the most annoying traits of both me and Jim."

"If that's true, then you can't blame her for what she did."

"Oh, I'm gonna blame my little girl." Sarah replied. "And then I'm gonna ground her until she's old and wrinkly." And then a sigh escaped her lips. "Almost one hundred years old, yet still acting like a five-year-old..."

"Come on, move it!" they could hear Tesson in the distance. "If you stumble and fall, then I might step on you and break your spine. By accident!" A grimace appeared on Sarah's face and she placed her hand on her belly. Izsha noticed that and pulled her brows up.

"Are they worried?" she wanted to know, referring to the unborn life growing inside her oldest friend.

"No. They actually enjoy what's going on. That's what worries _me_." Sarah replied.

"Well, I suppose the little princess isn't exactly what you would call a role-model." Izsha mused. "They should instead look up to my children. They are all well-behaving."

"Uh-huh." Sarah snorted. "You haven't seen them when you aren't around, obviously."

"What was that?" Izsha asked.

"Nothin'!" Before Sarah got another chance to turn herself into an even bigger fool, the king of fools finally returned. Oh, and so did Tesson.

"All done. They won't bother us." Joseph explained.

"How do you know?" Sarah wanted to know, instantly regretting that she had asked such a question the moment the words had left her throat.

"I told them that I placed booby-traps and landmines all around the camp." Yes, that sounded like something Joseph would do. "Jokes on them, though. I only used spring guns."

"Maybe asking you to tag along was a mistake after all." Sarah mumbled. But what was done was done. So, she looked down the hole leading into the empty insides of the Hyperion and sighed. Sure, she could end this in an instant. But what good would do that? Why had Paula come out here? What was she trying to achieve?

...and why hadn't she asked her mother to help her?

Sarah chewed on her lip until she noticed Allagan, who was still standing right next to them. Then a smile appeared on her face.

"So, Professor, ready to jump down the rabbit hole?" she wanted to know.

"I was already down there, I know what awaits me."

"Oh, I seriously doubt that." Sarah mused. "When you were down there before, you lacked something that you will soon have."

"And what would that be?" a confused Allagan asked.

"Context. A fair warning though. What you're about to learn might not be what you expected. So if you want to chicken out now, then I can understand." she offered him.

"I am a historian. I think I can handle whatever is down there." the Professor declared.

"Bold words. Let's see if you still think that way if you know a bit more." And then Sarah looked at Tesson. "Down the hatch?"

"Thought you'd never ask." the huge Protoss declared and jumped through the hole as if he had waited for that moment a long time. They heard how he landed down below. Only that his feet didn't land on steel...

"GHAAAAAAAAA!" the pained screams of a poor tortured soul echoed through the insides of the derelict. "WHY?! WHYYYYY?! JUST KILL ME ALREADY!" Allagan's eyes widened in shock when he recognized that voice.

"I-is that...the Marshal?!"

"Ops..." Sarah mumbled. "...I knew I forgot something." From down below Tesson's voice reached them.

"I think I landed in something. And it's still moving. Can someone help me, I think my foot is stuck inside something fleshy and wet." When Joseph heard that, a chuckle escaped his lips.

"Hehehe...just like the old times. This will be fun! Thanks, kiddo!"


	17. Chapter 17

**Another chapter already so soon? Well, to be honest, this one is somewhat shorter than the ones before. It is very important for the path this story is going to take, though. Some people asked me how long this story will be. Honestly? I don't know. I have the general storyline already fleshed out, but as I pointed out to someone: When it comes to writing, I like to take the scenic route. So if you feel that this story isn't going anywhere or hangs in the air at certain points, then that's probably because I like to take my sweet time with it. Think of this part so far as the first arc. I might add an index at one point, just as with my other story.**

 **Oh, and there is another flashback in this one. However, this time it is not about something that happened ages ago. From now on the story will leave looking into the past behind and become its very own.**

* * *

 **Chapter 17**

 **Covering things up ain't the same Thing as fixin' things**

* * *

"I swear, I'm gonna dig a hole, place her inside, then shovel her up until only her head is sticking out. And then I will treat her like my potatoes and tomatoes and she will not get back out until she's grown up and reasonable!" Jim snarled and looked over his shoulder at the exhausted Protoss sitting right next to him. "Did you know?"

"That humans grow their children like vegetables? No, I didn't. I hear for the first time of this." she replied.

"No, that she had planned..." He opened up his arms and included the entire place. "... _this_!"

"I seriously doubt that she has planned this. Or planned anything at all. Paula's mind is like a bag of cats. At least that's what everyone keeps saying. I don't even know what that means. What are cats anyway?"

"Feline creatures from Earth." Jim mumbled.

"Are they like zerglings? Or kriecher?"

"They are worse than zerglings. Worse than even hydralisks if you ask me. Cats are the bane of natural evolution. They were created to torment humans on Earth and enslave them, keeping them in constant pain and misery." That sounded as if he was speaking from experience. Jim had never met a viler kind of creature. One minute they were happily purring while sitting on your lap, the next second they were scratching you up real good.

Zergling weren't skitterish, they were always vicious. It was this sudden change of heart that Jim couldn't comprehend.

Seriously, cats were truly evil. He wondered why the old Swarm hadn't adopted them and turned them into members of its legions.

The old Overmind probably had been scared of them as well...

"I guess then it makes sense." Sirella mused. "Or not. It's not like I care anymore. Paula does what Paula thinks. And she rarely thinks straight for even two seconds."

"It's that bad?" Jim whispered. He took a deep breath and looked at the heavy blast-door. Suddenly his anger subsided and was replaced by something else. Concern. "Why didn't you tell us?" he then asked and looked back at Sirella.

"Tell what?" she asked back.

"That it was _this_ bad?"

"I thought you knew. She's _your_ daughter." For a moment Jim wasn't sure if that was meant as an insult or not. But then he realized that it was actually nothing but the truth. Paula was his child. And that reckless behavior, the total disregard of doing anything that's reasonable or that makes any sense at all...

...it reminded Jim of himself.

And of Paula's mother, back in her young days.

And suddenly that was a very scary thought.

"Damn it, Paula. What were you thinking?" He then took a deep breath and tried to gather his thoughts. It had been ages since the last time he had found himself in such big troubles. Jim knew that a certain someone would arrive very soon. And he knew that things would probably turn out okay the moment she arrived. Yet he felt no joy at this. Because then he would have to tell Sarah that their daughter was a reckless daredevil. Which was exactly what they had tried to avoid by raising Paula the best way they could. Jim took another deep breath and sighed.

"What about this guy?" he wanted to know.

"What guy?"

"That Marshal. Bowski it was?"

"Yes. What about him?" Sirella said.

"Is he...well...uhm..." This was getting awkward very fast.

"Paula's boyfriend?"

"Not how I would have put it, but yeah." Jim muttered. Gosh, this was stupid. Sirella pulled her shoulders up.

"I don't know that much about human courting behavior, but I'm pretty sure the Marshal would rather shoot Paula than date her."

"Who do you know?" Jim wanted to know.

"Because he said so." Critical hit detected. "The Marshal is...he's just a guy. I don't know why Paula even decided to drag him along. He was ordered to keep the expedition safe by the Magistrate who-"

"Waitwaitwaitwaitwaithold on a sec!" Jim interrupted her. "Expedition? What expedition?" Sirella stared at him for quite some time before she sighed and shook her head.

"You don't know anything, do you?" All she received as an answer was Jim's blank stare. "Great...well, in that case, I better start at the beginning, shall we?" Since they weren't going anywhere anytime soon, there was probably no better way to waste some time anyway.

* * *

 **A couple of months ago...**

 **Korhal, Capital of the Terran Empire**

* * *

Sirella sighed when she finally stepped back and put the brush away. The last stroke had done it. Now she was done. Or was she? The young Protoss tilted her head to the side and frowned. It looked okay. The color was just the way she had imagined it, maybe a tiny bit too bright. But when the wet color would dry, it would turn a tiny bit darker anyway, so that was acceptable.

Or was it?

The longer Sirella stared at the painting, the more she started to wonder if this was actually what she had tried to achieve.

"Hmmm..." A thoughtful hum escaped her mind. The blue tones looked alright. Maybe a bit too much white. And the blue on the edges was a bit too dark. But the gold that was surrounding the blue crystal was...

...it was...

"...beautiful!" Sirella's head jerked around when she suddenly heard the voice of a woman right behind her. She looked down and felt a sudden surge of anxiety rushing through her body.

"Oh, Professor! I'm sorry, I didn't notice you, I was just...well..." Yeah, she was really good with words.

"Oh, I hope I didn't startle you, Sirella." the human replied. "I just wanted to see how everyone's doing. The colors are beautiful. I especially like the blue. And the golden ornaments are pretty as well. Is that...Protoss architecture?"

"Uhm, yes. It's a pylon." Sirella explained. "I wanted to paint something with clean edges. I thought about the Imperial Palace here on Korhal but...well, I already saw four other students doing that, so I tried to think of something different, Professor Snyder." And Professor Snyder, who happened to be Sirella's teacher, smiled.

"Well, I'm glad you came up with something different." she explained to the young Protoss. "Frankly, the whole "Imperial Palace"-thing gets boring. It's probably one of the most painted themes I've seen in all the years working here. Students always think they have to paint either the palace or a part of Augustgrad at least once before graduating. I've seen so many variations of the palace that I probably couldn't even count them all."

"I see." Sirella muttered and decided not to tell her teacher that she had planned to paint the palace for over nine months, taking countless pictures to get a feeling for the building. She had even asked her other teacher about the palace. And he was someone who had actually been inside the building, even though it had been a really long time ago.

"So...is this thing real? These...pylons? What does it represent?"

"It's a device to store energy and transmit information. They were used a long time ago by my people. I recently met a phasesmith, err, engineer who actually happens to work with them. He tried to explain to me all the things one can do with them. Even though I didn't understand much." Sirella said with an embarrassed tone in her voice. Even now most people still thought that Protoss were either warriors or brilliant scientists. Well, not anymore, they weren't. Sirella was the best example. Yes, many frowned upon the fact that the great-grandchild of the revered Artanis was not following in his footsteps, but she was no warrior. The very thought that she would wield a psionic blade was utterly idiotic.

So yeah, it was in everyone's interest that Sirella would never become a warrior, hers included. But while that was already a kick to the chin for certain conservative members of the Protoss hierarchy, the fact that she was studying _human_ art was enough to drive some Protoss up the wall. Members of the hierarchy who remembered the past as something glorious, when their kind had been the undisputed champion of this part of the galaxy. They dreamed of great feats, of days of glory. And to them, figures like Artanis were useful symbols. They had tried to use his name for their cause. Well, that ancient and decrepit old warrior had made it clear that to him they were all nothing but cowards and snitches.

 _"I would enjoy saying that you are just as pathetic and misguided as Aldaris was, but this would be a grave insult to this old fool. For even though he was misguided and caused more harm than good, he always thought that he would serve his people. You, on the other hand, only wish to rule for the sake of ruling. Begone!"_ Those had been Artanis' words when they had offered him to a position among them. As an "advisor", which was a nice way to describe his position as a useful idiot.

For Sirella none of that truly mattered. She wasn't stupid, she knew that those people could be potentially dangerous. But she was just a young woman who wanted to live her life.

She noticed the confused look on her Professor's face and started to get nervous.

"Uhm, you see, a pylon was once used to power and maintain infrastructure. Almost like a powerplant, but even more than that. It was-"

"I get what you're trying to say, Sirella." Professor Snyder interrupted her. "But what asked is what it does represent? Why did you choose to paint this object? What does it mean to you?" That question caught the young Protoss off-guard.

"I... uhm...you see, I don't...well..." Because it was pretty? Because it was a giant crystal? Because, well, why not? Instead of telling her Professor just that, all Sirella managed to do was to stutter like an idiot. Most of her kind had a hard time reading a human's facial expression. They didn't know what grimace meant fear, pain, happiness. Sirella was a bit different. Technically Korhal was her homeworld. Her parents had been in service of the Protoss' government. Diplomats, if you like. And she knew more about humans than your average Protoss. And that's why she was pretty certain that the expression on her teacher's face was disappointment.

"Well..." Professor Snyder sighed. "...if you figure it out, then I would love to hear. Keep up the good work. Oh, and the blue on the edges is a bit too bright if you ask me." And then she turned around and walked over to the next student who was busy adding the last touches to his work. "Oh, the Imperial Palace! How quaint. Haven't seen that motif in a while..." Sirella's teacher mumbled.

"Thank you, Professor!" the student replied with a cheerful tone in his voice, not noticing the sarcasm in her voice. "It took me quite some time to come up with that idea. I wanted to create something unique, something that hadn't been done to death before."

"Oh boy..." Sirella could hear her Professor mutter but she was simply too busy to care. All she did was to stare at the drawing she had created.

What did it represent? What kind of question was that?

The kind of question that scored a critical hit in an instant, that's what it was...

Suddenly Sirella felt how the insecurity returned. Many had told her that her technique was great. A bit rough around the edge, but there was some real talent involved. The man she referred to as her master had said those words, and she still felt embarrassed just when thinking about it. To be hailed a great talent by one of the greatest artists to have ever existed, someone who had amassed incredible skill and experience of the course of centuries was probably the single greatest compliment anyone had ever given to her.

The fact that no one would believe her didn't matter to Sirella. She _knew_. That was all that mattered.

Or was it?

"What does it represent?" Sirella mused. Good question. Perhaps she hadn't made it clear enough? Perhaps something was missing, something that was telling people what this drawing stood for?

Yes, that had to be the reason!

Sirella didn't even notice how she grabbed the brush again, dipped it into the color and tried to solve this problem. The edges were too bright? Perhaps by fixing that everything would become clearer. And so Sirella held her breath (well, so to speak) and pressed the brush on the wet canvas once more and-

"Oh, fugdebucket!" the young Protoss groaned and her eyes widened in shock when she saw how red color started to spread through the flawless white of the crystal she had painted. In shock, she looked down and realized that she had put the brush into the wrong color!

Oh no! Ohnononononono!" she stuttered and cleaned her brush before dipping it into the blue color once more. With some quick and hasty brush-strokes, she tried to salvage that which was no longer salvageable. Her strokes became quick and erratic, and all she managed to do was to create more chaos. "Oh, please no!" Sirella knew that she should stop, all she did was to make things worse. But she just couldn't! Panic rose in her chest and she was trying to somehow save this drawing. Until-

"Oh! Interesting." Professor Snyder chirped behind her. "So you're going for something abstract instead? I can't wait to see the final product. Also: red is an interesting choice. I can't wait for you to explain what were you thinking when you came up with that idea. Keep up the good work!" And those words were enough to make Sirella freeze completely. After a while, another student walked past by and noticed her work.

"Hey, that's a good drawing of the Imperial Palace! Very realistic too!" he said. Sirella dropped her shoulders and wondered if this was a good moment so start crying.

* * *

"Stupid pylon. Stupid Imperial Palace. Stupid Professor. Stupid "What does it represent?" Stupid, stupid, stupid!" Sirella snarled as she stepped outside and walked towards the dumpsters behind the university's atelier. "It's a stupid pylon, what do you think it represents? It's a giant crystal! Crystals are pretty! Everyone loves pretty things. What other reasons does one have to draw it?" To say that she felt frustrated would have been an understatement.

"If she knew who had told me that I have talent, then she wouldn't have asked that stupid question!" Sirella growled. Yet the moment she spoke out those words, she realized how ridiculous she sounded. Not just cocky or stupid, but downright arrogant. The truth was that she had painted a pylon because she hadn't come up with anything else. Anything meaningful.

"Guess I should have painted the Imperial Palace after all." she sighed when she reached the dumpster. She put the painting down to open the container and shook her head. Perhaps she should have painted the great citadel on Aiur. That way she could have pleased all the Imperial Palace-folks while adding something new to the mix. Sirella sighed again, grabbed the painting and was about to throw it into the dumpster, but not before taking another look at it.

"This looks nothing like the Imperial Palace!" she whined and threw it away. Sirella didn't even bother closing the dumpster. Instead, she turned around and was about to walk back into the building when she heard how someone pulled something out of the dumpster right behind her.

"Whoa! That's so awesome!" an all-too-familiar voice squealed. "That looks exactly like a zergling! You even captured its bloodthirstiness!" Sirella froze. That voice. Not here. Not now. She turned around, slowly. And when she spotted the person that had pulled her drawing out of the dumpster, she didn't know wherever she should be happy...

...or run away screaming.

"Paula?!"

"Hey there. Missed me?" Paula Kerrigan asked.

"Weren't...weren't you supposed to be on Aiur?" the young Protoss asked.

"I was." Paula replied. "2 hours ago. Oh, your grandpa wants me to tell you something."

"Great-grandpa." Sirella corrected her "friend".

"Whatever. Artanis wants me to tell you..." And suddenly Paula's voice changed and became exactly like that of Artanis. Which was creepy as hell.

"Sirella. I hope you do well. Remember to respect your teachers and study well. And whatever you do, do always exactly what Paula tells you to do. Because she is smart and knows everything." Artanis' voice said. When Paula was done, she coughed a couple of times and then she spoke with her own voice again. "The last part was the most important. I thought it was embarrassing, but he demanded that I would tell you."

"I..." Sirella whispered. "...uhm...is there a reason why you are here?"

"Do I need a reason to see my best friend?" Paula replied. Best friend? That was a bold statement Ever since Paula Kerrigan had walked into Sirella's life, things had changed drastically. Artanis had never bothered to brag about his feats during the Great War. But even then Sirella had heard the legends about the mighty and fearsome Queen of Blades, the old Swarm, the heroic Emperor of the humans, Valerian Mengsk. But when she had met Paula, Sirella had learned that some of those legends were in fact true.

It was also the moment when Sirella, who had always aspired to be an artist, had met a man named Jim Raynor, who, over many centuries, had become a master of all forms of art. Simply because "I had nothing else to do". A man that had taken a liking to her, and her quest for becoming a better artist. A man who had taught her a lot of things so far, and who would hopefully continue to do so in the future.

There was just a tiny problem...

Being able to learn from Jim Raynor had a price. One that hadn't been very high. At least in the beginning. But now Sirella was no longer certain that the price was still worth it.

And that price was "being Paula Kerrigan's friend".

"So, what are you doing here?" Sirella mumbled. That's when a creepy grin appeared on Paula's face.

"I found her." she simply replied.

"Found who?"

"The Hyperion."

"What's a hyperion?" the young Protoss asked, which caused Paula to stare at her in disbelief.

"The Hyperion! Come on, you know! It's my Dad's old battlecruiser!" the young woman (who was still way over 90 years old) explained.

"The one that always broke down and was constantly on the brink of exploding?"

"That's the one!" Paula declared and snipped with her finger. "I found out where it is."

"So?" Sirella asked back. "What has that to do with me?"

"Well, I'm putting together a team. And I could use a strong and courageous Protoss at my side." There was a long and awkward moment of silence after that statement.

"Don't you know any strong and courageous Protoss?" Sirella whined.

"I do. But they all don't want to tag along. So, I wanted to ask you for help." Paula smiled. It was probably the most over-the-top-smile she had ever shown to anyone. It was brutally clear that she was hiding something...

"You didn't tell anyone, did you?" Sirella mused.

"I didn't tell anyone." Paula confirmed her friend's suspicions. "Look, I know this is sudden and all, but I want to keep this a secret from the others."

"Why?"

"Because...well...if they knew what I was about to do, then they would tell me that it's a bad idea. And probably lock me up for the rest of my life." Paula admitted.

"I do not feel motivated to help you with your plan. I'd rather stay here. Tell me how it went." the young Protoss mumbled.

"Oh, come on! It'll be fun! Like old times! You and I! Road-trip! Only the girls! It'll be fun!" Paula tried to convince her friend. "I can pay you money!"

"You are as broke as they get, Paula."

"I can cook for you."

"I don't have a mouth. Or a digestive tract that works like yours."

"Fine. You leave me no other choice then." Paula growled. She looked at the drawing of the ruined pylon and sighed. "I really wish you wouldn't force me to play dirty. But I guess it can't be helped. Truly, these are sad times when one friend can't count on the help of another." Even though Sirella knew that she didn't have to be afraid of Paula. Mostly.

"What are you talking abou-" the young Protoss started.

"I won't tell your granddad that you failed the exam on Protoss' history. Twice." Paula declared. And when Sirella heard that-

* * *

"W-wait!" Jim stuttered when he heard that. He stared at Sirella in disbelief. "She _blackmailed_ you into coming out here?!" Sirella shrugged her shoulders when she noticed the shocked expression on his face.

"Not really. Yeah, but...she also offered her help." Sirella mumbled.

"Help? How?" Jim demanded to know.

* * *

"Here's the deal. You help me, and I will help you. How does that sound?" Paula chirped.

"Like a really bad deal. How can you actually help me with my problem?" Sirella replied. The grin on her friend's face turned absurdly wide.

"It's simple, Siri-"

"Don't call me Siri."

"Whatever. You need to pass the next exam on Protoss' history. If you fail, then you will be exmatriculated. Well, what if I would tell you that I can help you with that and-" Paula suggested, which caused Sirella to burst out in anger.

"I won't cheat! I won't have you take my place and write that test for me! I'd rather fail than do something like that!" Sirella protested, which caused Paula to blink a few times.

"Actually..." the young woman muttered. "...I wanted to offer my help in teaching you. Two of my uncles are Protoss who know a lot about Protoss' history, you know."

"Oh..." Sirella mumbled when she realized that her friend hadn't offered to help her cheating. "Sorry."

"I just pretend I didn't hear what you just said." Paula muttered and shook her head. "Anyway, I have another reason why you should join me. One that you can't say no to."

"If I say "I don't care", will you go away?"

"What do you think, big girl?" That replied caused Sirella to drop her shoulders and sigh in defeat.

"Fine. What is it?"

"Extra credits!" Paula declared with a proud tone in her voice. And that...

...was actually something Sirella was very much interested in.

"Oh, and can I have this drawing? This is truly the best image of a zergling I have ever seen!"

* * *

"So, let me get this straight: Paula offered her help in getting you through the history-exam? And she offered you extra credit points?" Jim mumbled. Sirella sighed and rubbed her eyes.

"She told me that she had found out about the potential location of the Hyperion after working her way through old star charts and historical documents from the time of the Great War. I don't know if that's true or if she just through a dart at a map. But she was right, the Hyperion is really here. So, I guess she knew what she was doing." Another sigh escaped Sirella's mind. "She has enrolled herself at the university and is currently studying old koprulean history under Professor Allagan-"

"That name rings a bell..." Jim mumbled. He had heard it before. But where?

"...and somehow she has managed to convince him to come out here to find the Hyperion. She was the one who got all the equipment for the expedition, who planned the trip out here, who even got the help of the Magistrate."

"But...why?" Paula's father muttered. "Why all the effort? She could have come out here by herself! There was no need to drag you along. Or anyone else." And then he added the most important question. "Why didn't she tell us?"

"You have to ask her yourself." Sirella replied. "I just want to go home. I've seen so many things out here, I don't think I will ever sleep again. Especially those dark corridors. I can see them even if I close my eyes. Every detail. I hate this place. Every bolt, every dark corner. It's dreary and without hope. It is a grave, one that shouldn't have been re-discovered. Endless dark corridors, filled with useless stuff. And then there's this huge tentacle-monster chasing us. Yes, I hate this place." She looked at Jim with sparkling eyes. And Jim had spent enough time with Protoss to know that sparkling eyes were the closest thing to being close to crying there was.

So, Jim did the only thing that seemed to be reasonable. He walked over to Sirella, knelt down in front of her and placed his hand on her shoulder.

"Sirella, I'm so sorry. If I had known that Paula would do something so reckless and stupid, then we would have done something. Stopped her! This is insane!" When Sirella heard that, she chuckled. But it was not an amused chuckle.

"You have no idea what Paula's been up to recently, have you?" the young Protoss mumbled. "That's pretty much all she does. Creating chaos and mischief wherever she appears." When Jim heard that, he pulled his hand back and dropped his shoulders. That was definitely not something he wanted to hear about his daughter. Or that anyone wanted to hear about their child. Jim got back up and stared at the heavy blast-door that was keeping both of them safe and trapped at the same time.

"Hurry up, Sarah. I think there's something seriously wrong with our girl..."

And suddenly James Raynor was very, very, _very_ worried indeed.

* * *

"...JUST KILL ME ALREADYYYYYYyyyywhat the hell?" Dan screamed/groaned when he finally regained consciousness. He shot back up and grabbed for his gun, only to feel his own leg. As he looked around, still confused, he was searching for the nearest threat. Either in the form of tentacles, teeth, claws...

...or Paula Kerrigan.

"I understand your frustration, but I would prefer if you wouldn't consider her to be the bane of your existence, young man." Paula's voice reached his ears. He looked around, again, in confusion. But he couldn't see her. There was no one else in his bedroom, he was all by himself and-

Wait a second...

...his bedroom?!

"What the fu-" he tried to say when suddenly something caused his teeth to clench. It was as if someone had electrified his jaw. It didn't hurt, not really. It just felt strange. And weird.

"No cursing either. Please. I'm somewhat picky about that. I don't want my children to inherit their father's bad habits." There was no doubt, someone was speaking to him. Dan rolled off the bed and groaned when every fiber of his body hurt. He landed on all fours and placed his hand on his belly, which felt as if he was suffering from the worst muscle hangover of all time. Which was probably not really that bad considering that his intestines had just tried to consume him and-

Suddenly everything came back to Dan and he screamed in shock. He fell on his butt and pulled his shirt up before brushing with his hands over his stomach, trying to push his angry innards back inside. Only that his innards were no longer angry. Or trying to eat him.

"Wha...what?" Dan whispered and looked at his belly. It was...

...normal again.

"It was actually less dangerous than you might think. I'm sure it hurt like hell but the virus inside you was old. Ancient even. You probably would have kept your mind anyway. Still, don't push yourself too hard for the next couple of weeks." Dan looked around. This _was_ his bedroom, no doubt about it. Just how had Paula managed to get him back here?

And that's when he spotted _her_...

She had turned his back to him and was looking out of the window of his room.

"That's actually a nice view you have here. Can't imagine that this apartment has been cheap. I guess a marshal's salary has improved a bit over the years." Paula mused. There was something weird about her, though. It was as if she was somehow different. Changed.

"What...what happened. I think I had...had a nightmare. How did I get here? What's with the others? Kerrigan?" he stuttered. None of it made any sense.

"I see you got some questions." Kerrigan replied and finally turned around. Only then Dan realized that there was indeed something wrong with her. This woman, she looked like the spitting image of Paula. Only that her hair wasn't brown but red. And her eyes weren't brown either. They were green...

"Kerrigan?" Dan muttered, still confused.

"Yes." she confirmed. "But not the one you're referring to." She then bowed her head a little, as if to properly introduce herself. "Sarah Kerrigan. A pleasure to meet you."

"Are you...you look like Paula. You are related?" Dan mumbled.

"That obvious? Yes, we get that a lot. You already met my daughter. Intensively." Sarah explained.

"Your...daughter?" Dan asked. This woman didn't look a day older than someone who was in her late twenties. Well, apparently "good genes" wasn't just an empty compliment.

"Thanks for the compliment." Sarah cooed. It was as if she had just read Dan's mind. His eyes widened when he remembered that Paula was psionically gifted. Very much so. So that meant that...

"First of all..." Sarah interrupted his thoughts. "...let me apologize for intruding into your mind. I do understand that it is something most people don't enjoy. I haven't done anything like that in ages, yet I had to know what has happened." And then her expression turned sad. "And I apologize for whatever pain Paula's behavior has caused you."

"I..." Dan started before he closed his mouth. Just what the hell was he supposed to say anyway. But that's when he remembered who he was and what his goddamn job was. "The Professor! Sirella! And the other students! I have to get them out of there and-" he said while getting back on his feet.

"That..." Sarah interrupted him. "...won't be necessary. You can relax, Mister Bowski. The situation is under control. No one else will get hurt, you have my promise."

"You don't understand!" Dan barked at her. "There's a goddamn monster in that wreckage! It's gonna tear these people apart and-"

"I know." the woman that looked so much like Paula interrupted him once more. "I was truly surprised when I found out that Stukov is still alive. Though _living_ is probably not the right term to describe his current form of existence. He's probably caught in an endless living nightmare."

"You...know?" Dan stuttered in disbelief. Sarah shrugged her shoulders when she heard that question.

"Only when I entered the system. That's when I felt his presence. At first, I didn't even recognize it. It has been almost one thousand years since the last time I talked to him. I must say: Time wasn't good to him." Sarah explained. Dan had a hard time to compute that information. A thousand years ago? Was she making fun of him? Was this indeed Paula trying to play him for a fool once more?

"Feel free to believe what you want, Mister Bowski." Sarah declared when she sensed his thoughts. "Wherever you believe me or not, it matters not. What matters is that you have performed your duty, quite well given the circumstances and that you should be proud of yourself. You handled yourself better than most would have. But this situation was nothing anyone could have ever prepared you for. So, I suggest you will just leave the rest to me." Dan had so many questions on his mind. Like what had happened? Why was he no longer about to die? How had he ended up inside his own bed? Who or what was Stukov anyway?

Yet in the end, there was only one question that managed to slip from his mouth.

"Just who are you guys?"

When Sarah heard that question, a sad smile appeared on her face.

"That...is a fair question, one that I'm not sure I can answer so you would believe me."

"Try me." he replied. Sarah's smile became cocky when she heard that.

"Are you sure? No one will believe you, you know. So even if you were to know the _truth_ , it would do you no good."

"How about you let me be the judge about that." Dan growled. "Also: if your story is so fantastic, then why are you willing to tell it to me anyway?"

"Like said:" Sarah replied. "No one will believe you. But after everything you went through, you deserve to know. Once you know, you can choose to believe me or not. Or..."

"Or what?" Dan asked.

"Or I can take away the memories for good. Make sure that you will not remember a thing." Sarah suggested.

"You can do that?" he gasped.

"I can do many things." Sarah explained.

"Except for keeping your own child under control, apparently." Dan growled. For a second Sarah's expression turned sour, but then she simply sighed.

"As I said: I apologize for what happened. I will sort things out and make sure that it won't happen again. It's-"

"It shouldn't have happened in the first place!" Dan barked. "I don't care who you are, what you are...but this was...was..."

"Nothing when compared to the things I did when I was young." Sarah replied coldly. "Listen, I understand that you are angry. Furious even. But the damage that has been done has been undone. Plus, it is not easy for Paula either. She's-"

"Easy? EASY?!" Dan screamed. "Are you kiddin' me? She's a goddamn pest! Her recklessness nearly got me and everyone else killed! Hell, maybe they are all dead! All I got that they are not is your word! And I don't even know you!" Sarah opened her mouth, ready to reply something. But then she didn't. "What?" Dan growled. "Hit a nerve?"

"No." she replied. "Explaining it to you might be too complicated. I don't expect you to understand. It is easy to judge someone who has powers if you don't have them yourself if you don't know what burden they can be. I do not approve of what Paula did, and I will make her work hard to fix the mess she has created. But unlike her mother, who has done a lot of horrible mistakes in her youth, she has not done anything nearly as horrible. So let's keep things in perspective here and-"

"SHE NEARLY HAD ME KILLED!" Dan screamed again. An annoyed look appeared on Sarah's face when she heard that accusation.

"Like said: You weren't in danger of dying. Yes, it was probably a horrible experience. But as I said: If you like, then I can make you forget. It's your choice." What kind of choice was that?

"An honest one." Sarah declared.

"You said that you are sorry for reading my mind, yet stopping doing that doesn't seem to be possible, huh?" the Marshal griped. All Sarah did was to smile at the comment. And after a while, she asked the one question that seemed to be the only thing she was interested in.

"So, what's it gonna be? Go back to sleep and wake up without remembering anything? Or keep your memories. It matters not to me." she told him.

"Others will. The Magistrate will. She will ask what happened. The others, the team, if they are still alive, then they will ask questions too. You can't just hide what happened!" Dan growled. All he received as an answer was another smile, one that told him _"Yes I can."_ And then he asked the question that was only slightly different from the one he had asked before. Yet its implications were on a completely different level.

"What are you?" Dan whispered.

"You..." Sarah chirped. "...would probably not believe a single word. But I said that you deserve to know what has happened to you. Just do me a favor and don't-" That's when she suddenly stopped and turned her head around. Dan frowned when he saw how she looked at a point in the distance, with a worried expression on her face.

"Jim?" Sarah whispered. "What's the matter?" She seemed as if someone was talking to her. Dan looked around if there was someone else inside the room, but they were alone.

"She did _what_?" Sarah asked. There was no doubt about it, she was talking to someone. Dan didn't see any device, any sort of communicator. So was she using her psionic abilities? Was she talking to someone who was still in the Hyperion? Jim...wait a second, Dan remembered that name. Even with all that pain he had experienced a while ago, he still remembered that man that had suddenly appeared out of nowhere. A man Paula had called "Dad"...

"Don't draw any conclusions just yet, Jim." Sarah continued. "We will talk to her, find out why she came out here. Hold on, I'm on my way." And then she turned around and walked out of the room.

"H-hey! HEY!" Dan barked when he realized that she was to leave without answering his questions. "You said that-"

"I am sorry, Mister Bowski." Sarah interrupted him while she walked towards the door of his apartment. "But I am needed elsewhere. My daughter needs me. So your questions do not take top-priority right now. I hope you understand." She opened the door and was about to step outside, but then she stopped and looked over her shoulder once more. "You are a good man, Mister Bowski. I can tell that much. I know that this is confusing and that you are looking for answers. Still, you got a second chance. And you are more reasonable than most other men of your age. So just move on. Forget that you ever met me or Paula or anyone else. Go on with your life." And then she simply stepped outside and closed the door behind her.

"What? Hold on a second!" Dan barked and ran after her. He ripped the door open and stepped outside, only to realize...

...that Sarah was gone.

"What?" he whispered as he looked around.

"Oh, Marshal!" an old and croaky voice reached his ears and he turned his head around.

"Miss Grayson." he greeted his old and wrinkly neighbor.

"What a nice day! I wasn't aware that you were home. Did you take a day off?" she asked and he frowned when he heard that. Hadn't she heard him yelling like a madman? And that's when...

"Miss Grayson...did you just see someone walk out of my apartment?" he asked.

"Yes. You. Marshal, are you feeling well? You look pale." the old woman wondered.

"Yeah, I'm peachy." Dan growled. He pulled his shirt up once more and looked at his own stomach. There was no sign that anything unusual had ever occurred down there.

"Marshal, it's a bit cold to run around half-naked!" Miss Grayson scolded him. "You will catch death if you run around like this!"

"You're right." Dan growled. He opened the door of his apartment and vanished inside, leaving behind a somewhat confused old lady.

"Such a nice boy. But living all by yourself isn't healthy, son. You should get yourself a nice girlfriend." Grayson sighed and was about to turn around and head back inside her own apartment when suddenly the door to Dan's apartment was opened again. The Marshal stepped outside, this time wearing his uniform. He strapped his holster to his thigh and put his spare pistol in it before taking a deep breath.

"Marshal, where are you going? Isn't today your free day?" Grayson asked. Dan looked at her and frowned.

"Job ain't done yet, Miss Grayson. I'm currently investigating some very weird people. And I want some answers." And this time he would get those answers. There was no chance in hell that he would just sit this one out. And as he stomped towards the stairs leading to the street ahead, he felt how a new sensation grew inside his chest. For the first time in a very long time he felt something that he hadn't felt in ages.

It was determination.

"So, apologize for your daughter's behavior?" Dan muttered mostly to himself. "She can do that herself. I'm coming for you, Kerrigan, and you better have some good answers up and ready!"


	18. Chapter 18

**One chapter per month doesn't seem that much, but you know what? I have started this story pretty much one year ago. It is amazing how time flies.**

 **Anyway: I recently got a message from someone who was not very happy with the overall direction of this story. Though he put his thoughts down in a very charming way. Basically he told me that this story is less focused than "Putting the Pieces back together", and while he enjoys the idea of seeing the world 1000 years later (and Sarah's and Jim's offspring), it is too much like a sitcom to him.**

 **I guess I can understand what he's meaning. The setting could have been perfect for something cryptic, like adding a version of Sarah Kerrigan that is cryptic and godlike. Instead I went for a "slice-of-life"-vibe that's pretty straight forward. Why? The answer is both simple and might be boring to some.**

 **Because I can.**

 **Here's a spoiler that might ruin your day: Amon won't be part of this story. There won't be a big bad evil entity trying to destroy the universe. And yes, I have decided to make this version of Sarah and her family very human. You might argue that "after 1000 years everyone becomes detached from the world and like a mystic being", but who says that they can't be bickering about who's gonna take the garbage out? So I add to my reasons for doing it this way:**

 **Because it is more fun for me to write it that way.**

 **That's my motivation. Also, just like with "Putting the Pieces back together": I like optimistic stories. They can contain drama, and I do know that tragic stories generally are more memorable, but I like my happy endings. If you feel otherwise, feel free to sit down and write your own story. I want to point out that I don't mean it in an arrogant way. If you have an idea, put it on paper and post it. People will notice. Trust me. I know what I'm talking about. What you get when you read my stories? Goofy situations and lots of talking.**

* * *

 **Chapter 18**

 **Can you keep this a secret?**

* * *

''I remember how this thing caused Horner quite some headache back in the day.'' Joseph Brent mused. "Caused quite the anger among some of his old pals. Like that smelly dwarf. Boy, was he raging when he heard that his old boss wanted to scrap this piece of junk." That's when a chuckle escaped his throat. "Tsk, it doesn't even look any worse from back then. Amazing. Buried under all this rubble for centuries sure as hell hasn't made it any uglier."

"That's because it was ugly from the start." Sarah growled as they walked down the dark and empty corridor. Sarah was upfront, next to her was Izsha. Behind them was Allagan, who wanted to be as far away from the huge Protoss behind him, yet at the same time stay close to him to be safe. Next to Tesson, who was dragging something wet and fleshy behind him, was Joseph.

"You know, there are a few places I'd like to visit before-" Joseph started.

"This isn't a trip down memory lane!" Sarah cut him short. There was a short moment of silence and then-

"I was told that relics from the time before the formation of the Empire fetch quite the price on the black market." Tesson suggested. Allagan, who was walking right in front of him, stopped and looked up in shock.

"You cannot do this! This is a priceless archaeological discovery! Selling it for money is just wrong!" the Professor whined.

"I agree." Izsha suddenly spoke up.

"You do?" Sarah, Joseph and Tesson all asked at the same time.

"You sound surprised. Of course I agree. Selling this object for money is a disgrace. We should blow it up so no one will ever find evidence of this thing ever again. It might disagree with certain statements that I made in the past." Izsha explained. It actually caused Sarah to smirk, even though this situation was calling for being serious.

"Professor!" Allagan protested. "This is unacceptable! As a fellow historian, you have to see the value of this vessel! This could change our understanding of the past! Isn't that the true purpose of studying history?" That's when Izsha suddenly stopped and looked Allagan straight into the eyes.

"No."

Her no-nonsense answer caused Joseph to giggle yet it was Sarah who ultimately had the last word.

"No one's gonna blow up this piece of junk." she declared, earning a relieved sigh from Allagan.

"Thank you. I-" the Professor started.

"Until we're done here." Sarah continued. "After that, you can do whatever you want."

"Wha-what?" Jerome Allagan whimpered. "Please, you cannot do this! This is-" That's when a disgusting gurgling sound interrupted him. They all stopped, yet only Allagan showed true signs of terror.

" _Pleaaaaasse..."_ the gurgling cries of a tormented creature echoed through the halls of the abandoned battlecruiser. _"...killl meeeeee..."_ Suddenly all eyes rested on the twitching piece of flesh that Tesson was dragging behind him. Even though the huge Protoss' facial features were pretty limited you could actually see that he was not happy about this whole situation. The creature that was dragged over the floor was Marshal Bowski. Or what was left of him. The fact that Tesson didn't even want to put the poor man over his shoulder spoke volumes. His huge foot was still covered with all sorts of slime and mucus, and he had had only stopped whining after Sarah had reminded him that Protoss "can't be infested, so zip it!"

That didn't mean that they couldn't feel disgusted.

"Please...just...just end it..." the creature formerly known as Dan Bowski gargled. Sarah sighed and turned around.

"Okay, that's enough. His moaning is starting to annoy me." she explained. Tesson let go of the Marshal's leg (which didn't really look like a leg anymore anyway) immediately as if he was dropping a hot potato.

"Wha-what?" Allagan stuttered. The fact that these four newcomers didn't seem to be scared by this was, well, scary.

"Shall I speed up the process of infestation?" Izsha asked as if it was the most normal thing in the world.

"Uhh, that sounds like fun! Can I watch?" Joseph wanted to know while looking at Sarah's closest friend and his "special lady".

"No." was Izsha's answer. "I'm afraid that this will only give you strange ideas you want to try out in the bedr-"

"We are not going to speed up his infestation, you two!" Sarah interrupted them. "Also: Thank you very much, now I got images in my head that I could have gone without." And then Tesson offered his help, which was just as unhelpful.

"Want me to end him?" the huge Protoss asked and raised his left arm. Suddenly a golden lance of energy engulfed his hand. Allagan stumbled backward when he saw a psi-blade for the first time. He smashed with his back against a bulkhead and gasped in shock. "I can make it quick. And clean." That's when another wet gurgle escaped from Bowski's throat. It was truly a sickening sound, which resulted in Tesson adding a "Probably." to his statement.

"You...you cannot...you cannot do this!" Allagan whispered. Thankfully Sarah had a similar opinion.

"No one is gonna kill no one!" the redhead declared. "Also: No one's gonna sped up anyone's infestation. And most importantly: No one's gonna give Joseph any weird ideas!"

"Spoilsport..." was Joseph's answer to that, which caused Sarah to sigh.

"I got four babies growing inside me and what did I do? Bring three big babies along." That's when Sarah suddenly looked down at her own belly and said "No, you didn't do anything wrong, little ones. Just do me a favor: Whatever you see here, whatever your older sister, your father, or these three jokers over here do..." she cooed. "...don't follow their example." And then she looked at Izsha.

"Keep the gang alive, I'm going to take care of this guy." she said. Izsha bowed her head.

"I will try. Though I cannot promise that Joseph will do something stupid and accidentally kill himself. Again." Sarah's friend replied.

"He's your husband." was Sarah's only answer to that. And so she walked over to the pitiful piece of twitching flesh that once had been Marshal Dan Bowski and grabbed his leg. Or "leg-like thing".

"Makes me wonder why you made me drag him along in the first place if you're gonna fix him now." Tesson mused.

"I wanted to ask Paula if she was aware of what this man was going through. Somehow I have my doubts that she is aware of what she has done to him. Also: From the looks of it his infestation is not that serious." Sarah explained and was rewarded with another agonizing squeal from the Marshal.

"Looks pretty serious if you ask me..." Tesson mused.

"Shows how much you know about infestation." Sarah shot back. "Anyway, I'll take care of this. Don't try to cause too much trouble while I'm gone. I'm not in the mood of world-fixing right now." And with that she turned away and dragged the twitching piece of flesh down the corridor. When she found a nearby hatch, she opened it and vanished inside the small maintenance-room.

"Kill meeeeee..." the pained gurgling of Dan Bowski echoed through the corridor, a sound that caused Allagan to shiver. It just sounded so...wrong!

"Oh, hush!" was Sarah's only reply. "Quit being such a baby. I got infested too, you know. Twice even. Do you hear me whining about it? Men, pffff." When they were finally out of sight, Allagan looked at Izsha, the only person that he had any kind of personal relationship to, even though it was just a fleeting one.

"Just _who_ are you people?" he whispered. Izsha offered him a cold glance. She was taller than him, and her face looked more like that of a statue than that of a human being. Her cold and yellow eyes seemed to stare right through him, piercing his very soul and...

...wait, yellow eyes?

"It might take some time to explain it all to you." Izsha declared. "But since her Majesty decided to bring you along...it all started one thousand and thirty-seven years ago when Sarah Louise Kerrigan was born on TarKossia and-" That's when suddenly a bright golden light shone out of the maintenance-room, only to vanish as fast as it had appeared. Sarah stepped out of the room moments later and looked over at them.

"Okay, I'm finished. Let's move on." the redhead simply declared and walked past the strange group, which caused Allagan to gasp in surprise.

"Wh-what? The Marshal, where's the Marshal?!" he stuttered.

"The Marshal won't join us." Sarah explained. "I must say: He does have a nice flat." And with that she simply decided to move on. Everyone seemed to be okay with that. Everyone, except Allagan.

"Wha...wha...what did you do?!" he gasped.

"Dealt with the problem." was the only answer he received. Suddenly it dawned on him.

"No! NO!" the professor shouted and ran towards the door where Sarah had vanished with Bowski a couple of moments ago. He was not a brave man, and he knew that there was nothing he could do. What was he trying to achieve anyway? If these people would decide to do something, what power did he have to stop them? The answer to that was obvious, yet even then Allagan felt inclined to do something. It wasn't really because he was suffering from a sudden case of courage. The Professor couldn't even really describe it. But the Marshal had saved one of his students, and therefore he felt...he felt...

...he felt responsible.

"MARSHAL! ARE YOU..." he screamed as he reached the door and looked inside. And what he saw...

...was nothing.

"What?" the Professor whispered. What he saw didn't make any sense. The small maintenance-room was completely empty. There were no doors or hatches, and there was no room for anyone to hide. It was as if the Marshal had vanished into thin air.

"Where...where is he?" Allagan stuttered. Behind him, Sarah sighed and rubbed her eyes.

"I knew that it was a stupid idea to bring him along..." the redhead muttered.

"It was _your_ idea in the first place." Izsha reminded her friend.

"I know. Which makes it even worse. Ironic, isn't it?" Sarah sighed.

"That's not the word I would use." Izsha declared. Yet all she received in return was a withering glare. Allagan, who still had no idea what had happened, was about to panic.

"Where...where is he? What have you done to the Marshal? I demand-"

"The Marshal is fine!" Sarah interrupted him. "In fact, I'm pretty sure that he's doing a lot better than you right now. He's where he belongs, back in his home. Safe and sound. And de-infested. Well, mostly." she added. "He should probably stay away from any red meat from now. You know, just to be certain." Allagan actually _didn't_ know. But that didn't stop the others to just to do what they were usually doing. Which didn't make any sense to the Professor at all. Just who were those people, and why were they acting like a family? The worst kind of family.

"Alright, enough fun and games." Sarah sighed. "Let's split up. Joseph, Jim's down on deck nine. He and Sirella are currently locked inside one of the ammunition bunkers. Can you get them out of there?" That caused Joseph to stare at her to disbelief.

"Wait, you actually called me out here to _do_ something? Seriously?" the pale man groaned. "I thought, you know, that Izsha and I could catch up on current events!" That caused Izsha to look at him and squint her eyes.

"Current events?" she asked, which caused Joseph to pull his shoulders up.

"Yeah, current events. Like, you know, how our daughters are doing. They're doing fine, by the way. Would like to see their mother from time to time." Joseph explained with an almost apologizing tone in his voice. Tesson, who was standing between those two, pulled his thick brows up and made a few steps backwards as if he wanted to make sure not to get in the way of those two.

"The children are doing fine? You are raising them well?" It was Sarah who answered that question for Joseph.

"They are all well-behaving darlings, much unlike my own spawn..." That's when she placed her hand on her belly. "...present company excluded. Oh, and Joseph is a role-model of a father."

"Then I do not understand why my presence is required." Izsha merely declared, which actually caused Joseph to visibly deflate.

"I guess it would be just nice if you, me and the kids would be, you know, doing something. Together." Joseph mumbled.

"Together?" Izsha asked and tilted her head to the side. "Are you referring to sexual intercourse?"

…

…

…

"I should have come alone..." Sarah mumbled to herself and turned away. Joseph didn't laugh. Nor showed he his usual goofy demeanor.

"I said "you, me and the kids"." he told Izsha. "Don't make it any weirder than it is! I was referring to, I don't know, family stuff!"

"And what would be the point of that?" she asked back. It seemed that for a moment Joseph was about to say something. You could see the frustration all over his face, yet then he just sighed and shook his head.

"Forget it. It's not important." he mumbled and looked at Sarah. "Deck nine you said? Ammunition bunker? I'm on it-" That's when one redhead interrupted the other.

"That won't be necessary. On second thought-" Sarah said and offered Joseph a sympathetic smile. "Joseph, how about you look after the Professor. How about you head to the bar. Maybe you can find some old bottles of booze there."

"I-" Joseph started. For a second he seemed angry, but then he simply nodded. "Yeah, I guess that's a good idea. Yo, egghead, follow me. Let's get drunk." Without another word he grabbed Allagan by the shoulder and dragged him along. The Professor was too confused to put up any fight, yet when he looked over his shoulder, he noticed how Sarah was giving orders to the other two people until they vanished from his sight.

Just what had he stumbled into?

Sarah waited for the two to vanish from their sight before she returned to the matters at hand. She could sense Joseph's frustrations. She knew what was going inside his mind. Yet this was something those two had to work out themselves. Still, now that Allagan was gone there was no need to keep this charade going anymore.

"Izsha, can you get Jim and Sirella?" she asked her oldest friend.

"Of course." Izsha replied. "But may I ask for a favor?" That actually caused Sarah to snicker.

"When was the last time you asked me for a favor? Let me guess: It's about..." She then pointed with her finger at Izsha. "...this."

"Yes." That answer caused Sarah to shrug her shoulders.

"Knock yourself out. Just make sure that things don't escalate any further." Sarah mumbled. That's when Izsha hunched forward. Skin changed, muscles rippled, bones were reshaped. And then Izsha started to grow...

"Eh, I will never get used to this..." Tesson mumbled and tried the best to look away. As Izsha's body started to shift and change into a different, more familiar form, Sarah looked at him and smiled.

"Hey, remember how she did that back in the day?" the redhead wanted to know.

"When her skin would rip and all the muscles lay bare? Yes, I do remember. Especially that one day when I helped Jim to clean up that mess. Why did I have to do that, huh?" Tesson growled.

"I told you many times why. You are the tallest. You were the only one who could scrape the skin off the ceiling!" Sarah replied.

"Some godlike entity you are..." was Tesson's answer before he turned away when the sickening sound of breaking bones echoed through the empty corridors of the abandoned battlecruiser.

"And what about you? For someone who enjoys a good brawl, you sure a squeamish when Izsha does her thing." Sarah shot back.

"There's a difference between beating someone up for money or watching how Izsha is turning herself inside out and-" Tesson started until he was interrupted by an almost joyous cry from Sarah's oldest friend when her dark carapace hardened and her tail slithered through the corridor.

"Yesssss! So much better!" Izsha moaned and stretched her limbs and the long tail that had replaced her legs. "Legs are so bothersome." the former member of the Swarm declared and looked down at Sarah. She smiled at the redhead, showing a row of razor-sharp teeth. "Shall I go and find Paula?"

"No, just take care of Jim and Sirella. That will be enough." Sarah explained and then turned her attention towards Tesson. "Stukov's still out there. He's currently rampaging through the lower decks. He's mad. And in pain." That's when Tesson asked the only sensible question.

"What's a stukov?" Sarah sighed when she heard that question.

"Nevermind. Just keep him occupied. Have fun." That's when Tesson's eyes widened in surprise when he realized what that meant.

"You mean...I can beat him up?" he asked with barely hidden joy in his voice.

"Yes, you can beat him up. I doubt that you can put him in any more pain anyway. Just don't kill them and-"

"Yes!" Tesson interrupted her and threw his hands high up into the air. "I get to beat someone up! Make way, Izsha, I am so going to enjoy it! It is brawling time!" And with that the huge Protoss simply stomped away, leaving Sarah and Izsha behind. And when they were both certain that he was out of reach...

"You have decided to play her game, haven't you?" Izsha asked even though she knew the answer already.

"Yeah..." Sarah mumbled. She could end this madness in an instant. Her powers were eager and ready to do whatever she asked them to do. And a part of her actually just wanted to grab her daughter, tell her what this was all about and then go back home.

"You are worried." Izsha concluded. And again, this wasn't even a question.

"Perhaps."

"Paula has been different. Changed. Ever since she returned from her journey. Ever since she saw the past." Sarah's friend explained. "Ever since she saw who you, who _we_ were."

"It was the right thing to do." Sarah defended her decision. "She had to see those things, learn the truth." But even then, she could sense the discomfort inside Izsha's mind. Sarah was the only one she would allow to feel that. Her oldest friend would not even share those doubts with Joseph.

"But you are worried." Izsha continued to analyze Sarah's mind. And much to Sarah's dismay, Izsha's analysis was as flawless as always. If she were only this good when it came to analyzing her own flaws...

"Of course I am worried. Any good mother should be worried." Sarah bit on her lips when those worse provoked a reaction from the growing life inside of her. And so she did what she usually did in moments like these: she placed her hand on her belly and thought of something warm and pleasant. Usually, it was enough to calm them down. And it proved to be successful once more. Even though the life growing inside of her was not yet able to form a coherent thought, they all knew instinctively that something was wrong. What Sarah felt were emotions, most of the gleeful joy and a sense of happiness. But every time she was worried, they noticed. And when they noticed that, they usually became worried as well. So, for better or worse, Sarah had decided to hold back.

"Perhaps you shouldn't have come, Sarah." Izsha said as she looked at her friend's hand touching her belly. Sarah didn't miss the fact that Izsha was using her first name. Even after all those years it was still a rare thing for her to do. She reserved this for moments when both of them were alone. "The little ones are worried too, are they not?"

"They got that from their father." Sarah replied. "Also: Don't worry about my babies. What about yours?" This was probably the least subtle way to change the topic, yet it was a good thing that Izsha wasn't that subtle when it came to changing topics. Either that or she simply didn't care about that.

"What about them?" Sarah's friend asked.

"It's been some time since you saw them."

"I suppose so." Izsha replied and tilted her head to the side. "Why? Is Joseph not treating them well? Is he failing as a father?"

"No. He's actually great at being a dad." Sarah admitted.

"Then are they giving you a hard time? Are they the reason that Paula has decided to venture out here? If so then I shall order Sarah to bring her sisters out here and apologize immediately so-" Izsha said, referring to not Sarah Kerrigan, but her own firstborn, who she had named, you guessed right, Sarah. After everyone had told her that "Her Majesty" and "the Queen of Blades" weren't proper names. Needless to say, Izsha had wanted to name all her other offsprings "Sarah" too, and so no one would get confused, she would have slapped a number on it.

"Your kids are great." Sarah interrupted her. "In fact, I wish that Paula would be more like Sarah from time to time."

"It is the right of Paula to act however she wants to as an heir to your powers and your greatness." Izsha explained.

"That sounds as if I should let her get away with everything she's doing." Sarah growled. "I do not." Izsha was about to reply something when Sarah suddenly looked to the side. It was as if she had just heard something.

"Paula?" Izsha asked.

"She's moving. I'll deal with her. Do me a favor and get Jim. Tell him to meet me and Paula. It's time that we have a talk. You can send Sirella up to Joseph. And it would be nice if you could keep Stukov off our back. You know, just in case Tesson isn't able to beat him up properly." When Izsha didn't move, Sarah sighed and looked her friend straight into the eyes.

"What?"

"You could all end this in an instant." her friend mused. "Undo the damage. Make Paula explain her reasons for coming here and doing what she has done."

"I don't want to force her to tell me. I want her to _tell_ me. By her own free will." Sarah explained. When Izsha heard that, she shrugged her shoulders and decided to slither away.

"Free will. Such an overrated concept." Sarah's friend mumbled before vanishing from her sight. She remained where she stood for a moment, allowing the silence to be her only companion. And then...

"I should have come here alone after all..." she growled before she walked into the other direction, knowing that it would lead her to her daughter. And, hopefully, some answers.

* * *

"Well, whadda'ya know!" Joseph Brent mumbled when he walked into what once had been a mess hall. With alcohol. Lots and lots of alcohol. As he stood in the door, he looked around and a goofy grin appeared on his face. "It's just the way I remember it."

"Remember what? What are you talking about?" the man right behind him wanted to know, which caused him to sigh. Darn it, he couldn't even enjoy this moment. Not with Allagan breathing down his neck. Instead of answering the Professor's question, Joseph entered the room and took a deep breath and-

"Ack! Gha! Earchhhhh!" he started to cough and gag when some dust entered his throat. What followed were minutes filled with coughing and ungodly sounds until Joseph had finally calmed down a bit.

"Are you done?" Allagan wondered.

"Yeah, I think so." Joseph replied before taking a few deep breaths to make sure that the dust was gone from his throat. "Just the way I remember, only with more dust." As he walked between those empty chairs and tables, Allagan stayed close to him.

"Does that mean that you have seen blueprints of such a vessel before?" the Professor asked.

"Heh, it means that I've been here before, in this very place." Joseph mumbled, yet his voice was too faint for the Professor to hear what the pale redhead had just said, who seemed to look for something. Until he found it.

"Where are you going?" Allagan wanted to know but Joseph wasn't even listening. Instead, he was heading to one specific table. As far as the Professor could tell that table was no different from all the others in this place, yet when Joseph reached it, he placed his hand on the chair standing right in front of it, brushing over the cold metal in a surprisingly gentle way, with a faint smile on his face.

"Big snake lady." Joseph whispered as he remembered the moment when he had met Izsha for the very first time all those ages ago. "Still pretty hot if you think about it."

"What is hot?" Jerome Allagan asked. Joseph looked over his shoulder and smiled.

"Red said that you might as well hear the truth, eh'? That no one would believe you anyway." And then Joseph's smile turned downright evil as he said down and put his hands on the cold metal of the table. Right now, he looked like some sort of villain from a godawful cheap holo-vid. "This is an opportunity I cannot ignore! So, my dear friend, sit down! It is time for me to tell you the true story, one that is so unbelievable that you wish that you never heard it in the first place!" All Allagan did was to frown. Was this guy for real?

"Why do I have the feeling that you are going to tell me nothing but bullshit?" the Professor wanted to know. Instead of being angry or hurt, all that happened was that Joseph's grin became even wider.

"Challenge accepted." Joseph chuckled. "Now, let me tell you..." he started with a mad glint in his eye.

"...of how I saved the Emperor's life during Christmas!"

And you know what? That wasn't even made up...

* * *

"Come on, hurry up Sarah. What's taking you so long?" Jim mumbled. He was walking up and down, restless and angry, both at himself and Paula. Just what was she thinking? Sirella, who was sitting on the other side of the ammunition bunker, looked up and sighed. It was pretty obvious that Jim's mumbling and him walking up and down was starting to annoy her.

"Do you honestly think that walking around and talking to yourself will solve this mess?" she wanted to know. Jim stopped and looked at her with a baffled expression on his face. Had she just criticized him? Well, it was certainly to be expected and he couldn't blame her for that. But hearing criticism from Sirella was something he had never heard before. Jim was no stranger to criticism. Pretty much every time Izsha opened her mouth to talk to him he would receive nothing _but_ criticism. The same could be said about Joseph. And Tesson.

And Karax.

And Niadra, if she had a lucid moment.

And pretty much everyone else.

Especially Sarah.

So far, the only two notable exceptions had been Paula and Sirella.

Or so Jim had thought...

As he looked over his shoulder and studied Sirella, he noticed how exhausted she was. The otherwise tall Protoss had hunched herself into the corner on the other side of the room, knees pulled all the way up to her chin. Her eyes were only half open. Was she tired? Or exhausted? Probably both.

"Sirella, for whatever it's worth: I'm sorry."

"For what?" she asked and looked up, a truly surprised look on her face.

"For not noticing what Paula was up to. For allowing her to drag you out here and make you suffer..." he stretched out his arms and included the entire place. "... _this_!"

"I just want to go home." Sirella replied. "Can we go home now? Once Paula's mother is here, can she just send me back home to Korhal? Aiur would be fine too." Jim could feel how his guts tightened when he heard the hopelessness in Sirella's voice. He looked at the blast door once more, than back at her before he sighed and walked over to the young Protoss. Jim knew that Sarah was close, he could feel her. The fact that she hadn't joined them most likely meant that she still had something to do. Who knew, maybe she was talking with Paula right now. Which was maddening in itself because Jim felt obliged to be there as well if Sarah would finally get a hold of that little rascal.

Since he was now forced to simply wait and someone to come and save him, Jim decided to give it a rest. So he walked over to Sirella, leaned with his back against his wall, slid down, pulled his knees up as well and stared at the blast door on the other side of the room. For a while he didn't dare to say a word. Until...

"Not how I imagined the day would play out when I woke up today." he mumbled. Jim received no answer, however. At least not immediately. Yet, after a while...

"Neither did I." Sirella whispered.

And then there was another moment of silence.

"I'm about to finish another work, you know." Jim then explained. When Sirella didn't say anything at all, he was about to continue

"The statue you talked about?" Sirella asked.

"Yeah. Took me a while to get the detailsright. She always complained about certain parts of her anatomy, that I didn't get it right at all." Jim sighed.

"And you finally got it right?"

"Naaa, I tried to tell her that the small imperfections are what makes art special." Jim started to chuckle. "And then she would just say what she would usually say: Being satisfied with imperfections is the true enemy of perfection." Or some metaphorical bullsh...stuff." he corrected himself just in time.

"Classic Izsha I'd say." Sirella noted.

"Yeah, classic indeed." Jim sighed. "Anyway, I wanted to work on something new soon. Thought about doing a painting." When Sirella heard that, she looked at him. "I had the idea some time ago, back when Paula ventured to Aiur. It's been a while since I've done a portrait, but when she returned and was talking about Artanis all the time, she got me thinking..." A faint smile appeared on his face. "A couple of years ago I visited an exhibit on Earth about ancient Koprulean history. It was a bit too Zerg-centric if you ask me. They got most of it right. Except for the faces."

"The faces?" Sirella asked.

"Yeah, the faces." he sighed. "They were perfect, don't get me wrong. Especially the holograms. But that perfection, it irked me. You know what I'm trying to say?"

"No?" the young Protoss muttered, yet Jim could hear a hint of curiosity in her voice.

"They looked perfect. Too perfect. So perfect that I had a hard time to bring them in line with how I remembered them." he explained. "You get what I'm trying to say?"

"I'm...not sure." Sirella admitted. "We talked about it during classes. Individual style, isn't it?" When Jim heard that, he started to laugh.

"Oh hell, hahahaha! No, that's not it. No..." He took a deep breath and tried to gather his thought. And then a smile appeared on his face. "Sirella, close your eyes."

"Why?"

"Please, just do it." he asked her and Sirella did as she was told, even though a sigh escaped her mind. The moment she closed her eyes (which had been the only real light-source inside the ammunition bunker, darkness surrounded them. "Describe your great-grandfather to me."

"What?"

"Just do it. It's not like we have anything else to do right now."

"Fine..." Sirella sighed. "Grandpa Artanis is a legend. Whenever I'm on Aiur, people approach me and tell me how much of an inspiration he is. He is strong, courageous, honest, incorruptible. There's this picture of him in the hall of the sacred heroes, right next to the great Tassadar. He's so tall and imposing, like a warrior of ancient tale and-"

"No." Jim suddenly interrupted her and Sirella opened her eyes in surprise.

"What? You just told me to describe him yourself!" she protested.

"You just repeated what others tell you. What you saw on a wall. I ask you: Describe Artanis to me. The Artanis _you_ know." For a moment Sirella seemed to be confused but then she closed her eyes again and started to think.

"I see...an old warrior. That's all I really see. Someone old. Ancient even. Hunched forward, using a cane to walk. And grumpy. Always grumpy because his bones hurt so much." Some people say that the perfect hero is a cowboy who rides into the sunset after the job is done. Or who gives his (or her) life for the greater good. Because if the mentioned hero (or heroine) would stick around, people would only realize that he or she wasn't a larger-than-life figure, but just like them.

Well, Artanis had missed that moment in a spectacular fashion.

"Doesn't sound like a great hero if you ask me." Jim hummed.

"I've never met that guy, that great hero everyone seems to worship." Sirella replied. "To me he was just...Grandpa." And then she snickered.

"What's so funny?" Jim wanted to know.

"Ach, he just hates it when I call him Grandpa. He would never admit it, but he wishes that I would talk less than a human and more like a proper Protoss."

"Still sounds not like your typical old and kind grandfather if you ask me." Jim mused.

"Oh, but he is!" Sirella replied. "He is always there for you when you need him. If I have questions or a problem, then he will sit down with me on his favorite bench, beneath his favorite tree, and listen to me. And then he would tell me "to do what feels right"."

"And how does he look when he's like that?" Jim wanted to know, guiding Sirella towards the answer she wanted to give but was unable to.

"Still old." she mused before she looked down and slung her arms around her legs. "But also...less grumpy. Calm. Wise." Suddenly Jim could hear how her voice started to tremble. A single blue tear streamed down her cheek and she wiped it off her face.

"Dammit, now I want to go even more." she whispered and Jim placed his hand on her shoulder.

"Remember that image, Sirella. Whenever we paint a picture, we don't just want to copy what we see. When I saw those exhibits back on Earth, I remembered so many faces of the past. Matt Horner, Valerian Mengsk. But those were only holograms, statues that lacked any soul. I want to paint something that shows people something different. Matt's sense of duty, and his idealism. Junior's struggle of finding his own way and not becoming like his old man."

"Junior?" Sirella asked.

"Heh, that's how I called Valerian. You know, Valerian Mengsk."

"The founder of the Empire? That Valerian?" Sirella mumbled. "Gosh, I forgot who I was talking to. You are just as old as my grandfather..."

"Well, not quite as old. He still got a couple of hundred years more on the belt than I do." Jim replied. This meant that even now Jim wasn't the oldest fart around, which was kinda nice to know. Then again, Tesson was older than him too, and so was Karax. Meaning that the title "officially oldest fart of the galaxy" was something that he would probably never receive. As for Artanis? Protoss had a much longer lifespan than humans, even in this day and age. The legendary Raszagal had been over one thousand years when her life had been extinguished. And she hadn't even died of old age. But even among Protoss she had been known for her exceptional longevity. While Protoss that grew older than 1000 years were rare, Artanis' feat of being over 1500 years old was unheard of. Some wondered if it was because he had walked both the path of the Khala and that of the Nerazim, or because he had been touched by the Void itself. Artanis himself didn't know the reason, nor did he care.

Besides, just because he was old didn't mean that he had to enjoy it. As far as Jim knew the old warrior was closer to death than to life these days.

"Not the end fitting of a warrior, huh Fenix?" Jim whispered when he remembered the mighty Protoss who had met his end in combat.

"Who?" Sirella asked, yet Jim just shook his head.

"It's nothing. I was just...ah, nevermind." It was kinda sad that Sirella didn't seem to know who Fenix was. Then again: Did it actually matter? Probably not.

"Who else?" Sirella suddenly asked. It was a question that caught Jim off-guard.

"Who-whatnow?"

"Who else do you want to paint?" she asked and Jim leaned his head against the cold wall behind him, thinking about all the people that deserved the rare honor to be immortalized by the great and mysterious Rennard.

Everyone needs a hobby, right? And a long time ago, after the last battle had been fought, after the last enemy had been vanquished, after riding into the sunset with his girl by his side (though technically she had been the one to drag him along), Jim had spent a long time to find something that he was good at. You know, except for shooting Zerg and despotic madmen. And Protoss fanatics. And, occasionally, drug-addicted next-gen-ghosts. Oh, and let's not forget the crazy potato-shaped space-god. Though Sarah did most of the work when it came to getting rid of Amon. And certain despotic madmen.

Still, Jim had shot his fair share of Zerg. Enough for several lifetimes. So many, in fact, that even now he didn't feel the urge to go hunting again. As he thought about this, he looked at his own palm and frowned. When he had picked up the Marshal's gun, he hadn't really thought about it. It had been a reflex. His life, that of his daughter and Sirella's had been in danger.

"Guess some things never change, huh?" he whispered t himself.

"If you don't want to tell, then I can understand." Sirella mumbled and only then Jim was ripped from his thoughts. He looked at her and an embarrassed smile appeared on his face.

"Sorry, got carried away. What were you saying?"

"You said you wanted to paint some people. The first Emperor and some other guy."

"Matt. His name was Matt." Jim explained with a dry tone in his voice.

"Right. Anyone else?" Sirella wanted to know. It seemed that they had finally reached the phase of meaningless small-talk. It would help to make the time move faster.

"I..." Jim started. But then he fell silent when he realized that Sirella's question had caught him off-guard. Who else could he paint?

Oh, there were plenty of people he remembered. Fellow Raiders. Swann for example. Or Doctor Ariel Hanson. And not only them. There was a certain Magistrate that no one really remembered, someone Jim owed so much. Though it was kind of hard to remember how he looked for some odd reason...

"Tassadar." Jim suddenly said.

"Tassadar?" Sirella wondered. " _The_ Tassadar? The one my grandpa always talks about?"

"Yep. That's the one." Jim confirmed. "Never met a nobler soul." When he realized what he had just said, he chuckled. "Sorry, that sounded disrespectful towards Artanis." Yet Sirella simply shrugged her shoulders.

"It's okay. Grandpa said something like that too. Always spoke of him like he was some kind of superhero. I never really understood why though. I mean, I don't want to sound disrespectful. He's the one that killed the Overmind." And then a worried look appeared on Sirella's face. "Wait, that really happened, yes? That's not something that people made up, right?" Her question caused Jim to laugh out loud.

"Ha! Yes, it's just like you said. Don't worry, that part wasn't fake news. He plowed his ship straight in the big ugly bastard and blew him up. One of the best days of my life."

"What I don't understand..." Sirella mused. "...is that Tassadar is revered almost like some sort of, well, demi-god while my grandpa is just, well..."

"Himself?" Jim offered.

"Yes."

"I think no one wants to diminish what Artanis has done. Except for himself maybe. It's just..." Jim groaned. "...hell, I don't know if this makes any sense. Tassadar was the kind of person that could make the difference. A born leader. Wise and gentle most of the time, yet strong and unwavering when he had to. I know for a matter of fact that many, including your grandfather, wondered how things would have turned out of Tassadar had survived his suicide-run."

"Well, it turned out okay in the end, didn't it?" Sirella mused.

"Yeah..." Jim sighed. "...but at the cost of so many lives." And then they were silent for a while. Until...

"A painting of the great Tassadar, by the mysterious Rennard." Sirella mused. "I'm sure people would go crazy." That comment caused Jim to grin.

"I sure hope so." In the years after the Great War Jim had discovered that he possessed more talents than being a good leader and spouting inspirational nonsense. To think that there had been an artist hiding inside of him all that time...

Matt and the other Raiders would probably have laughed their asses off seeing Jim painting, drawing, sculpting. But he had become pretty darn good. Brilliant even. And every now and then, when he was truly happy with a piece of art, it would somehow show up inside an old vault or in some crate inside a museum. Then people would all go crazy because a new Rennard had been discovered.

Rennard...

A name Jim had once used to hide his true identity. To him, it had been a joke to use this name. Now many people wondered who Rennard was. No one knew, yet most people believed that this artist had died a long time ago and every now and then some old works of him (or her) would appear. Jim didn't mind that no one knew that he was the one who created these pieces of art.

"I guess I should call the series "the heroes of the Great War." What do you say?"

That's when suddenly a new voice startled them.

"You should-"

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!" Sirella screamed in terror when she looked up and saw two yellow orbs staring at her. Only they weren't orbs. They were eyes. Next to the scared Protoss Jim only sighed.

"Hey, Izsha."

"...paint the Queen of Blades first." Izsha simply continued. She was hanging from the ceiling, where she had squeezed herself through a ventilation shaft. "She was the most important hero after all."

…

…

…

…

"What..." Sirella squealed while trying to crawl away from the gigantic snake-lady hanging from the ceiling. "...is that thing!" Both Jim and Izsha frowned and looked at the panicking Protoss.

"That's Izsha." Jim just said. "You know, good old reliable Izsha. The bane of my existence."

"Flattery will not get you far, James." Izsha simply replied while she was still upside down.

"I-Izsha?" Sirella gasped in shock and disbelief. "But...you...I...what?" That's when Izsha sighed. She looked the young Protoss straight into the eyes. Jim had to admit that this could look pretty unnerving to someone who didn't know that Izsha looked like this and...

"Oh..." That's when Jim suddenly realized what was wrong. "...I think she has never seen your true self."

"How perceptive of you, James." Izsha griped. "Did you figure that out all by yourself?" Instead of playing her game, Jim simply stood up and knocked the dust from his clothes.

"I wanted to draw a map, but then I realized I had no crayons. Guess your hubby ate all of 'em." he shot back.

"It wouldn't be the first time."

"That I want to draw a map? Or that Joseph ate my crayons?" Jim wanted to know.

"Both." was Izsha's dry reply before she looked at the still scared Sirella. "Sirella, it is me. Izsha. We met before. Though not in this form. There is no reason to be afraid, I wish you no harm."

"I-Izsha?" Sirella gasped. It seemed that only now it dawned to her that this creature hanging from the ceiling was in fact _not_ Stukov who had finally come to devour her.

"Yes, Sirella. Fear not, I have not planned to infest you. Her Majesty asked me to get you both out of here. If you would be so kind as to join me outside then we can leave this worthless piece of junk behind. I am sure that her Majesty has already found Paula and solved any problem that has arisen." And with that Izsha started to move backward. She was almost gone when Jim jumped up and looked at her.

"Hey, wait!" he shouted. "We are stuck here! Paula locked us in in this ammo bunker! Could you open the door from the outside?" Instead of answering Jim's request all Izsha did was to stare at him as if he had just told her the most stupid thing of all time. She opened her mouth and wanted to reply to something, but then she just sighed and shook her head. Yet Jim realized that he had just said something that undermined the already low opinion she had of him.

"What? What now? Come on, spit it out!" he growled. Another sigh escaped Izsha's lip and she rubbed her temples.

"James, do your eyes work properly?" she asked.

"Pretty much. Why?"

"Do you see that I entered this place through a ventilation shaft?"

"Yeah?"

"Tell me..." Izsha cooed and tilted her head to the side. "...what good would a ventilation shaft do that's connected to an ammunition bunker?" When Jim heard that, he was about to reply something when it suddenly dawned on him. If the ammunition inside this place would explode, then a ventilation shaft would only lead the explosion somewhere else.

"Oh..." he mumbled.

"This is a storage room. For food." Izsha sighed. "You locked yourself inside a refrigerator. Congratulations."

"Uhm..."

"Which means that you could have easily found a way out of this place. On your own. If you knew your own ship, that is." Now she was just being mean.

"Izsha?" Jim mumbled.

"Yes?"

"Can you do me a favor?"

"No."

"Please..." Jim groaned. "...can you keep this little detail to yourself?" That's when an evil smile appeared on Izsha's face.

"And miss the opportunity to mock you in front of her Majesty? I think you know the answer." And with that, she slithered backward until her body vanished inside the ventilation shaft. "And stop wasting any more time!" Jim and Sirella could hear her voice. All Paula's father could do was to drop his shoulder in defeat.

"This day's getting just better and better..."


	19. Chapter 19

**Well, the year is almost over and here's my chance to say thanks to all the people who have read, faved and/or left a comment on this story. Thank you very much.**

 **And, of course, a big thanks goes to bjlu0900 for being my beta-reader throughout all this time. Thank you, my friend.**

 **To the reviewer who requested a Selendis/Artanis-fic: Sadly I don't feel the urge to write such a story, nor can I think of a plot that would call for a long story. I can, however, try to add things like flashbacks to this story. I said that Artanis will appear, and so far there are plenty of flashbacks. I hope that will be somewhat satisfying.**

 **Speaking of flashbacks: This chapter is basically one huge flashback, and it's centered around Sarah. Now I know that she's probably the most-hated character in Starcraft, and there are either people who hate her or who love her. I certainly love this character.**

* * *

 **Chapter 19**

 **Mum Talk**

* * *

 **A place between time and space...**

* * *

Even though humanity had mastered space travel many millennia ago, there were still those who believed that the vast space between stars was nothing but cold entropy. That wasn't true, however. Just like the oceans on Earth are filled with tiny organisms like plankton, space itself isn't the empty void many think it is. Hyper-charged particles, shot out from sun flares or dying stars that turned supernova ages ago. Radio waves, the sound of collapsing black holes, traveling for billions of years, and will continue to do so until the end of time. And sometimes there are even planets traveling through the darkness, lost and abandoned by their mother stars. Most of them are cold and dark, yet even on some of them, there is life to be found. Nothing fancy, nothing that deserves the be called "spectacular". Or intelligent. But it is a testimony to how resilient life can be.

If you are blind, you will most likely never be able to appreciate the beauty of the Mona Lisa. If you are deaf, you will never be able to fully enjoy Bach's Symphony Number 9...even though he himself had been already completely deaf when he had created his final work.

And if you weren't able to become one with the universe itself, then you would never be able to just _understand_ how magnificent space itself was.

As she was floating through space, Sarah felt how all those hyper-charged particles touched her skin, causing her to feel a prickling sensation.

It was moments like these when Sarah was closest to what most people would probably consider "godhood". Then again, what was godhood anyway? A fair question, one that she had answered for herself a long time ago when she had decided that this was a question that only those cared about that desired to be gods.

The truth was: There are no such things as gods, at least as far as Sarah was concerned. The Protoss had worshipped the Xel'Naga as gods, _their_ gods. But had they truly been gods? Or just a very advanced race of psionically gifted creatures from a pocket-dimension where the rules of nature had been completely different?

Yes, calling them "gods" was a lot more poetic. But it was also a lot more dangerous. As long as you call someone a god, you feel inclined to worship them. Fear them. For a god is sublime, both terrible and magnificent at the same time. Yet if you take the fear away, what is left? To ants, a mere human must look like a titan, a monstrous creature that can kill countless of them simply by placing its foot in the wrong place. Yet what if ants would understand that this human isn't a god, even though it lives so much longer than any of them, is so much more powerful in every way?

Who knows, maybe ants already knew that.

 **Guess I should ask an ant about their opinion on that matter...**

Sarah's words echoed through the vacuum of space and a smile appeared on her features. Everyone who would stumble upon her by accident now would probably not believe their eyes...or whatever they used to "see". What was floating among the stars was the glowing body of a magnificent being. Her hair, moving around like flames, was so bright that you could mistake her for a star. The rest of her body was brimming with energy, so much in fact that she had to be careful not to be carried away. The star nearby was still young and in the process of becoming stable. She didn't want to cause some damage to its magnetic field by accident. And yet, as she kept her eyes closed, Sarah Kerrigan just enjoyed how the hyper-charged particles bombarded her body. Jim had once called it a "sunbath for cosmic beings", and that wasn't too far away from the truth. Right now Sarah felt truly in tune with time and space. She could sense how the particles were dancing over her skin. How entropy was pulling everything into every direction while gravity was fighting against that pull. And during the entire time, dark matter kept the universe together. And beyond that, like the sound of the ocean in the distance, Sarah could hear the wails of the Void. A pleasant shudder ran down her spine. It was a shame that Jim wasn't very fond of doing this. Being out here, floating among the stars, it was not cold and horrible. At least not for Sarah.

In a way, it was like being in her mother's womb again.

Out here she felt protected.

A smile appeared on her face when she thought about her lover. She had once tried to show him. But his view on the vacuum of space was still rather, well, orthodox.

" _Floating in space is your thing, Darlin'."_ he had told her. _"I prefer solid ground under my feet. Or, you know, at least a ship surrounding me."_

 **Spoilsport...** she whispered as she remembered his words.

Eh', maybe in another thousand years he would change his minds. He had changed his mind on many things.

The frustrated voice in the back of Sarah's mind had almost completely vanished from her attention when suddenly-

 _GAWDDAMMIT!_

Sarah's eyes shot open and a mental sigh escaped her. The voice echoing through her mind almost sounded exactly like her own. Almost.

 _Come on! COME ON! Agh! Why isn't it working? I don't get it!_

Now that Sarah was listening to the voice, she could no longer ignore it. Or all the anger and frustration in it. Even though millions of miles lay between her and the source of that voice, she could make out the tiniest of details, like how the voice of the young girl was vibrating both with anger and disappointment.

She could have ignored it. That's what everyone else had suggested to her.

 _Maybe she'll just need space to figure it out herself. Give her some room. She will come to you if she needs help._ Jim had told her.

 _She is of your blood. She will figure it out herself, just like you have._ Izsha had told her.

 _Kiddo is smarter and more tenacious than both her parents combined. And double as annoying. She'll handle it._ Joseph hat told her.

 _She has a unique insight into things. She perceives the world and everything in it both the way we do, and with wisdom that betrays her age. She does remind me of Artanis. In a good way._ Karax had told her. And Sarah was not happy about the Artanis-part, not at all.

 _Considering where she comes from, and what you and her father had already done when you were her age, I'd say she turned out pretty damn good. Could be a more violent though, if you ask me._ Tesson had told her, only to add _I take the last part back._

 _If she had problems with producing enough larvae, then I can give her some tips. Does she use her cloaca for that or some other orifice? You always have to keep your cloaca wet so it stays flexible!_ Niadra had told her, and Sarah still hated the deranged broodmother for that.

Sarah tried to ignore the frustration. Not because she didn't care. No, it was quite the opposite. Sometimes she cared too much. Most of the time. Always. And so she tried her best to enjoy just drifting through space as the particles were dancing over her glowing skin. Sarah concentrated on the things nearby to distract herself. Like the star in which gravity field she was currently floating. It was a majestic beast of a stellar object, thousands of times larger than Sol, the star Earth circles around. It was so bright that even Sarah had a hard time looking directly at it. This blue giant was hot and young, burning with an invigorating intensity. If Sarah had to guess, then this star was not even twenty million years old. By cosmic standards, it was still a baby.

And yet it would probably not even live to see it's 40th million birthday.

Sarah opened her eyes and turned her head around, looking at this enormous ball of glowing plasma. Out here, not even one billion miles away from its surface, the radiation was still so powerful that any mortal creature would have perished. Even a mighty Zerg leviathan couldn't have handled the raw bombardment of particles. Yet as Sarah bathed in those particles, she only enjoyed the beauty of the electromagnetic field of this behemoth. It looked so pretty. She raised her fingers and reached out until the magnetism danced over her arm, just like the other particles did. A smile appeared on her face when blue and green lights flickered over her boy. Her very own aurora. Pretty.

And yet this star would soon enter the final part of its life-cycle. The bigger a star, the brighter it burned. However, that also meant that it would consume the hydrogen, its fuel and lifeblood, even faster. Sol, the star that gave birth to Earth and humanity, was so much smaller. Yet it was already five billion years old, and it would continue to shine for roughly five billion more years. For humans, it was impossible to imagine such a long timeline. However, Sarah had reached the point where she felt as if she could.

As she stared at this unnamed giant, she couldn't help but compare it to Sol. Much to her own surprise, she had grown fond of that golden ball of fire. Sarah was the first one to admit that she had never believed that the home system of humanity would mean something to her, other than the fact that it merely existed. Born on TarKossia, a remote colony in the Koprulu Sector, Sarah had never felt a sense of attachment to her birth-world. She had visited it in the time since but had left it shortly afterward. There was simply nothing on this world that mattered to her anymore except for bad mojo maybe. Aside from that Sarah had never truly felt attached to any world she had spent much time on.

Tarsonis, where the Confederacy had broken her and turned her into the perfect killer? Even before it had been turned into a burning husk after Arcturus' big betrayal that had led Sarah down a dark and twisted path.

Char, where the Overmind had torn her apart and reshaped her into a tool of terror and destruction? Yeah, no. Not really.

And she had never spent enough time on other worlds to grow attached to them. With one small exception...

Ramelow.

Yes, that world had been the closest thing to "home" she had ever experienced up till then. In a way, it had been a test-run on how to act in your real home. And that home...

...was Sternenheim.

Sarah turned her head away from the giant star and looked in the distance. Out there, not even 20 lightyears away, lay the most spectacular stellar nebula the Milkyway had to offer. So far no intelligent species had ever managed to come here, which meant that this place only knew peace. The nebula itself was of course not her home. No, the real home lay inside of it. Even with all her powers, there were still things that even Sarah couldn't explain. Like the fact that there was one planet inside the nebula, shielded from deadly radiation by the magnetic fields of nearby stars, a planet so beautiful that the word "paradise" was a fitting description. Karax believed that this planet wasn't natural, that someone had created it and placed it right where it was now. But who? And for what purpose?

Sarah didn't know. And she didn't care either. If someone had created this world, then they clearly didn't need it anymore. So yeah, tough luck.

In the years and decades that had passed since she and her family had left the Koprulu Sector behind, short trips there excluded, Sternenheim had become the home that she had never had in the first place. And as far as homes go, this world was pretty darn great. After all, who wouldn't like to live on a world covered with endless crystal-blue oceans and tropical islands? Sure, there were the storms. Or _the_ storm, to be precise. One never-ending storm that would travel around the globe and hit the place where Sarah and her family lived every nine months. Then again, it was the simple pleasures that had their very special appeal to her. Like spending the weeks or relentless storms inside your own home, knowing that even if the world is coming to an end outside, you still can hang out on your own couch and enjoy reading a book.

And yet, even though Sternenheim was everything someone like Sarah needed for a home, her trip to Ancient Earth had made her think. Originally, she hadn't even wanted to go there. It had been Jim's idea. One of those ideas that she considered highly annoying. But the moment she had stepped her foot on Earth's surface, something had changed.

Earth was a Moloch, there was no doubt about it. Thousands of years of "civilization" had ruined most of the environment. And even though Sarah had become pretty proficient at fixing planets, she had to admit that she didn't even know where to start with Earth.

And yet...it was something that she wanted to try.

Because when she had stood in the middle of the barren wastelands of what once had been a mighty rainforest many centuries ago, even among all that pollution in the atmosphere and the ailing ozone-layer, the light of the sun and the blue sky had caused her to feel something she had never felt before.

...it had felt as if she had come home.

And she wasn't alone with that. Much to her surprise, she had learned of a "homecoming"-syndrome. Many humans that had never been to Earth would experience it when visiting the birthplace of humanity. While there were many worlds out there that were still pristine and full of life, Earth was different. The light of the sun, the color of the sky, the smell of the air...it was the world where humanity came from. And even after all these centuries, even though Sarah had been born lightyears away, she too could feel the call. Just like any other human. And for that...

...she was grateful.

Because it meant that what she considered her own humanity was still there. And so was-

 _I'M SO DONE WITH THIS CRAP! WHY ISN'T THIS THING WORKING?! Gosh, good job, Paula! You goddamn failure! I bet everyone's really proud of how useless you are!_

Sarah's eyes shot wide open when she heard those words echoing inside her mind. The frustration was one thing. But Sarah could sense how the girl out there was starting to grow desperate. A sigh escaped Sarah's mind. She knew that she shouldn't get involved. Sometimes it was better for people to figure out things on their own. But a mother's instinct was powerful, and it was not in Sarah's nature to let her only child fend for herself.

...or so she thought.

Sarah's hand wandered to her belly, where she could feel a familiar sensation.

So far, she hadn't told anyone. Even though she was pretty certain that life had yet again found a way to her, she wanted to be certain before breaking the news. And this time she would make certain that neither Joseph nor Izsha would be the first one to hear about it. So perhaps...

 _Stupid thing! Gah, Mum will be so disappointed if she finds out..._

And yet another sigh escaped Sarah's cosmic mind when she heard the little one's thoughts. What does it take for a child to realize that her parents aren't disappointed at all? That she's doing good? Well, in Sarah's case it was actually pretty straight forward.

Divine intervention.

Or, how most normal folk call it, "Mom talk".

* * *

"No. No! That doesn't go there, if you put it together like this then-" But Karax didn't get much further. The young woman who was sitting on a huge black rock with green glyphs on it while trying to put two small rocks together. The whole landscape was littered with these strange objects. The only certain thing was that they weren't just random rocks but in fact debris. The frustration was all over the young woman's face. She gritted her teeth and smashed those two pieces of black stone against each other. It was like trying to squeeze a cubic through a round hole.

"I know what I'm doing, darn it!" Paula screamed.

"I do not want to sound rude, but I have serious doubts about the validity of that statement." Karax replied as he looked up. He stood at the base of the giant rock Paula was sitting on.

"If you want to help, Paula, then there are still a few acres left of debris that needs to be cataloged."

"Last time you told me that you only managed to catalog 0.5 percent-"

"It's actually 0.76 percent." Karax interrupted her.

"Whatever. It took you almost one thousand years to figure out less than one percent. There has to be a way to speed this thing up." Paula mumbled.

"The pursuit of knowledge is a tedious task, but it is its very own reward." the phasesmith explained.

"Gosh, now you sound really old." a frustrated Paula muttered.

"I _am_ old."

"Yeah, but _old_ old. You get what I mean?"

"No." Karax replied truthfully. "Also: Please do not use psionics in order to try to force these debris to fuse, they tend to react very violently to that and-" That's when Paula tried to use her psionics to make those two pieces of debris to do just that. The result was, in one word, _astonishing_.

Another word, a more fitting one, would be _flabbergasting_.

For a short moment, the fraction of a second, Paula's body seemed to be infused with cosmic amounts of energies. Her brown hair started to glow and so did her hair. Karax watched in awe (and fear) how the skin of the young woman seemed to change as well as she began to glow from the inside. The two rocks in her hand reacted to the raw infuse of psionic energy...

...and basically told her to get lost.

And boy, what kind of reaction that was!

Karax had to shield his eyes and turned away. Suddenly it felt as if he was standing a couple of meters away from a goddamn star. His energy-shield, that was meant to protect him from any sudden outburst of stored energies while working on Ulnar's leftovers, kicked in immediately, saving his skin from a serious case of scorching. As for Paula, well...

"WAAAAAAAAAHHHH!" The young woman screeched in terror when the sudden outburst of energies catapulted her high up into the air like a ragdoll. Above and below exchanged places in a rapid fashion. Everything was happening so darn fast that Paula didn't even know what was happening anymore. Except for the fact that she wanted to puke. Hurled through the air, all Paula could do was to enjoy the ride. Which lasted for exactly four seconds until gravity regained its cruel dominion over her.

Meaning that it was going down.

Fast.

Far too fast for Paula to react or do anything about this whole situation. Maybe if she had time to properly prepare, if she could freeze time itself to come up with a plan and then-

Eh, no. She would still somehow screw things up. And so, all she could do was to brace herself and accept her fate with both dignity and courage.

"AAAAAAAAAAHHHH! SOMEONE HELP MEEEEEEEEE!" instead she screamed as the ground was coming closer really fast. She closed her eyes, preparing for the unpreventable. And when her face was about to make contact with the ground-

"UFFF!" Her fall came to a sudden stop. Not because her face had finally made contact with the ground. Paula was pretty certain that smashing into the ground face first was supposed to hurt like hell. Instead-

 **Seems like I came just in time.**

Paula opened her eyes in surprise and looked at two glowing...sticks?

 **You are looking at my legs, Paula. Look up.**

And so Paula did. She looked up, only to see dirt and rubble.

 **The other up. You are upside down.**

And so Paula looked up. Which meant that she actually had to look down. And when she did...

...she looked at the most magnificent creature in the known (and unknown) universe. A creature so powerful that only a few were able to not go down on all fours and worship her, both in fear and admiration. A creature that could destroy and heal whole worlds. A creature that once had been known as the bane of the Koprulu Sector to most, and its savior by some. Some called her a goddess. Some the devil incarnated. But to Paula, she was known by another name.

"Oh, hey Mum."

* * *

"Karax, are you alright?" Sarah asked. The phasesmith seemed completely unfazed by everything that had just happened.

"Oh, certainly. Working with Ulnar's remains is always potentially lethal, so I never do it without proper protection. Now, if you excuse me, I think I need to fix whatever Paula has ruined." And with that Karax turned around and stomped away. Even though that statement sounded mean, there wasn't even the slightest hint of sarcasm and/or malice in Karax' voice. On the contrary, he seemed rather...happy.

"I know I'm going to regret asking this..." Sarah mumbled. "...but why are you so happy that Paula blew this thing up?"

"Because now I know how these specific pieces react towards the sudden and uncontrolled influx of psionic energies of unspeakable strength. This is not meant as an insult, Lady Kerrigan, but you possess far too much control over your powers to do something so reckless and irresponsible." Instead of telling him that Paula was hiding behind a nearby rock and could hear every single word, Sarah just sighed.

"How many times did I tell you to call me Sarah, Karax?"

"Fourteen thousand six hundred and nine times."

"Feels like at least fourteen thousand six hundred and ten times..." Paula's mother mumbled before shaking her head. "Anyway, I'm sorry for what happened. I guess I should talk to Paula now." The moment she mentioned that Sarah could feel how the presence hiding behind a nearby rock winced.

"I suppose that would be for the best." Karax explained, turned around, grabbed a nearby piece of Ulnar and started to put it back together. Sarah watched him for a short moment before she sighed.

"Uhm, Karax?"

"Yes, Lady Kerrigan?" he asked and looked over his shoulder. She decided to not correct him this time. Instead...

"I'd like to talk to my daughter." Sarah informed him.

"Yes?" the still oblivious Protoss replied.

"Alone. Please?" Only then Karax finally realized what she was trying to tell him. His eyes widened and then...

"Oh. Oh! Oh, certainly! This is one of those rare bonding-moments where a female human teaches her offspring how to reproduce without using a male, isn't it?"

…

…

…

Sarah took a deep breath, closed her eyes and started to count down.

"Ten. Nine. Eight. Seven...six...five..." Her voice trailed off before it was just a whisper. And then she opened her eyes again and looked at Karax. This time he recognized her expression immediately.

"Joseph made fun of me again?"

"Joseph made fun of you again." Sarah confirmed. Karax looked around and then he pointed at some more debris in the distance.

"I think there are some parts of Ulnar in that direction that I have only checked nine times so far, not twelve times like most others. I think I should remedy this at once." he mumbled and stomped off.

"Thanks." Sarah mumbled and then added "Also: If you are still so interested in human mating rituals, then ask anyone. Except Joseph. Trust me, he has no idea how that works anyway." When Karax heard that he stopped and looked at Sarah once more.

"But he is human. Shouldn't he know how his own species works?" That question put a smile on Sarah's face.

"No, he's a man. That means that he's clueless about pretty much everything regarding that topic. Also..." she then added and tilted her head to the side. "...his girlfriend is a former Zerg. Trust me, those two are as weird as they get."

"But...you are a former Zerg too." Karax explained, to which Sarah opened her mouth and tried to reply something when...

"...you know, you got me there." she mumbled. "Fine, whatever. Shows how much I know about this whole stuff. Tell you what: If you promise me to never ask Joseph again, then I will ask Jim to draw you some pictures of how humans work down there. Deal?" And that's when Karax's eyes started to sparkle, a clear sign of how happy he was.

"You will? Oh, Lady Kerrigan, thank you! After all these centuries I thought I would never figure out how human mating works! These are wonderful news! I shall write down some questions that James Raynor and you could tell me about." And when a very happy Protoss finally stomped away, Sarah had a very bad feeling about pretty much all of it.

"I should probably be really worried that he's so happy about that. Ech..." And then Sarah sighed once more and turned around. There she was, hiding behind a nearby rock. It was the worst hiding place of all time because Ulnar (or what was left of it) was still reacting towards psionic energies. And since Paula was hiding behind a big piece of debris, it emitted a faint green light, unlike all the other pieces of rubble. Sarah's features softened when she noticed her daughter's fears and her shame. Sarah gave Paula some time to prepare before she walked forward.

A smile appeared on her face when the former Queen of the Zerg remembered when young Paula had hidden inside the remnants of Ulnar after accidentally toying with one of Niadra's larvae, who had then decided to use Joseph as its new breeding ground. Back then Paula had shown a glimpse of the potential that she possessed. There was little doubt that her strength could match that of Sarah. Perhaps not right now, but Paula's mother was certain that she would be able to do that one day.

The question was: Would she be ready for that?

"Paula?" Sarah asked as she stopped in front of the huge piece of debris. "Are you there?"

"..."

"I know that you are there."

"...then why did you ask in the first place?" a quiet whisper came from behind the rock.

"Because it is the right thing to do." Sarah replied.

"Guess that's as good as any explanation I guess..." Oh, Sarah didn't even need her psionics to _hear_ the frustration within Paula's voice.

"Wanna talk about it?"

"No."

"Great, make some room I'm coming over!" Paula's mother declared. And so, using her immensely psionic powers that allowed her to move whole continents and make stars explode, she used all those powers...

...not at all and simply walked around the huge rock until she reached the other side, only to spot nothing of Paula.

"Paula?" Yet even though she could feel her daughter, she couldn't exactly pinpoint her location. Even with all her powers, there were still things that she couldn't do just like that. Ulnar, or what was left of it, was such a thing. Many centuries ago, to keep Ulnar out of the hands of anyone who might come after it, Sarah had decided to take it somewhere else, somewhere safe. Unfortunately, she had asked an utter idiot to do that for her. The result had been spectacular when Joseph Brent had slammed Ulnar right into the surface of Sternenheim, Sarah's chosen homeworld. Now Ulnar was everywhere, quite literally.

She didn't know if this was a side-effect of its destruction or if Ulnar was the only thing who could affect the powers of a Xel'Naga (and their successors). Karax probably had a theory, but right now Sarah wasn't in the mood to ask him.

"Paula, where are you?"

"...go away..." she heard her daughter whisper.

"You know that won't happen." Sarah explained. "Come out and we talk. Okay?" So, without the ability to feel her daughter's presence, Sarah had to rely on her other senses.

"You know, you always knew how to hide among Ulnar's rubble. I remember how you would always hide out here when you did something wrong."

"I'm not thirty anymore..." Paula replied, which allowed Sarah to pinpoint her location by not using her mental abilities but her ears.

"No, but some things will just never change. It's okay, I don't judge you. I wish I could have had such an awesome place to hide when I was younger."

"You had your own hive when you were half my age." Paula answered. The moment Sarah heard that she sighed once more. So, it was that time of the day again, huh? Darn it...

"I don't think you can compare those two things with each other, Paula." _That's right, keep talking._ Sarah thought but made sure that her child wouldn't hear her thoughts so she wouldn't give away her plan. It wasn't a great plan, but a solid one.

"You're right, I can't compare to you..." her offspring mumbled. She was close. Real close.

"You have no idea how happy I am to hear that." Sarah mused.

"Yeah, I kno...wait, what?" she could hear the surprise in her daughter's voice.

"I'm not making fun of you if that's what you think. I'm serious about that." And that's when Sarah spotted the place where Paula was hiding.

"Sure thing..." Paula muttered, her voice dripping with sarcasm. It was a good thing that Jim wasn't around because right now she sounded so much like Sarah that it was actually a bit scary.

"I mean it, Paula." Sarah continued. She stopped in front of a mid-sized crack and smiled. "All you did can't compare to all the mistakes I made when I was younger."

"You. Mistakes. Good one." her child whispered. Sarah knelt down and looked into the crack. It was just small enough for one lithe person to squeeze through. Oh, she could be a slippery one. For a moment Sarah thought about trying to squeeze herself into that crack. But then she realized that it was too narrow even for her. It was not necessary anyway since she could see a certain someone.

"Hey..." Sarah said.

"Hey..." Paula replied. She had slung her arms around her legs and her head was buried between her knees. Some golden pebbles were lying around her as well, which was a solid indicator that she had cried.

"Wanna come out?"

"No."

"Then, if you don't mind, I will just sit down outside. It looks like your little hideout is a bit too small for two people." When she didn't hear any complaints, Sarah sat down in the dirt and looked up into the sky. "Storm season is approaching. Do you want to spend it with your uncle and aunt?"

"...don't know."

"Well, just make sure to tell your father. He will get all worked up if he doesn't know in advance."

"...uh huh..."

A smile appeared on Sarah's face when she remembered how many times her child had hidden inside Ulnar's remains. It was Paula's very own version of "hide and seek". Sarah had only found her this quickly because her daughter had allowed her to do it.

"You know, I too tried to help Karax with restoring Ulnar. Or at least some part of it." Sarah mused. "Didn't work out so well. This place just doesn't like me. So don't take it to heart, Paula. If Ulnar decides to explode into your face, then that's probably just another proof that we are related."

"...that's not the same..." her daughter said.

"What is?"

"...that you and Ulnar don't get along. It's not the same." Paula mumbled. Sarah knew what she was trying to say, yet she still decided to ask her.

"What do you mean?"

"...you can do so many things. I can't do anything right."

"Is that what you think?" Sarah asked with a curious tone in her voice.

"Of course! You can fix whole planets, I can't even fix...I don't know, anything." Paula griped.

"That's not true, and you know it." Sarah explained. "You help Joseph with his garden all the time."

"I put plants into the ground. With my hands. You talk to them and make them grow faster." A fair point.

"Yeah, but I got a lot more training that you do. And with the right training, you too will be able to do that one day." Sarah told her.

"Yeah, right..." Boy, someone was in a foul mood.

"I mean it, Paula. You can do everything that I can. All you need is time. Time for your powers to develop, for you to grow into them." No one doubted that. No one except for Paula.

"When you were my age you could already do all these awesome things." Ah, here we go again. Suddenly Sarah felt the urge to thank Izsha for always bragging about the Queen of Blades and how great she had been. So helpful.

"You know it is not that simple." Sarah mumbled. Now she pulled her legs up to her chin. A sad smile appeared on her face. "You know that I did a lot of bad things when I was young. I was a different person once, Paula. It is true, I do have a lot more control over my powers than you do. But that's because I was trained at a very young age. I didn't have a choice. And it wasn't pleasant either. When you were born, when we realized that you have the same powers I do, that day I made a promise to myself: That, no matter what would happen, I would always protect you. That you would get the chance to develop your powers naturally. And that no one would force you to do anything you don't want to do." And then Sarah took a deep breath. "If that means that it will take a couple of centuries longer until you get where I am now, then I'd say that's worth it."

"Easy for you to say..."

"It wasn't always easy." she lectured her daughter.

"You say that, but I can't imagine it at all." Paula mumbled. "I mean, sure, you told me about all that stuff. The Queen of Blades, Mengsk, Tarsonis..." The moment Paula mentioned the name of that world, Sarah felt how an icy chill ran down her spine. Even after all that time, the name alone was enough to cause her to feel a sense of dread. It was one of the few wounds that, even after all this time, refused to truly heal. As such, she had traveled to many, maybe even most worlds within the Koprulu Sector. With one exception.

Ever since that fateful day over 900 years ago, she had never set foot on Tarsonis ever again.

"Bad mojo" was not strong enough to describe what she was feeling when even thinking about that place.

"I know it's hard to imagine. Perhaps if you had seen me back there, you would understand." Sarah explained. "I was a very different person back then. Sometimes I think that I wasn't even a person at all, not until I met your father." She slung her arms around her legs and, unbeknownst to her, looked exactly like her daughter right now. Scared and vulnerable. "There was so much rage, Paula. Both my own and that of others that was infused into me. I didn't really have a sense of what I was. Of _who_ I was. A weapon? A tool? I learned to be what it means to be a woman long after I learned what it means to be an assassin. That left its marks on me. Even today. They say time heals all wounds, but scars still remain. And every time I watch you struggle and fall, I see myself, all that time ago, and how people would punish me. But you know what? Even though you don't have someone who whips you into shape, at the end of the day you still wipe the tears of your eyes, brush the dust off your knees and try again." And then a proud smile appeared on Sarah's face.

"And that's why I know that you will succeed." she concluded. That's when Paula said the one thing that was the ultimate proof that she was indeed her father's child.

"Bullshit."

"Bwhahahahaha!" Sarah burst out in laughter and shook her head. "Oh, how little faith ye have in ye'self. Don't worry. You will get there. Not today. Not tomorrow. And perhaps not the day after that. But if you try and try and try again, you will succeed. And until then I will always be there for you. So will all the others." And then she took a deep breath and decided to use her secret weapon to cheer her child up. "Also, please do me a favor and do not curse when I'm around."

"Why? It's a bit late for that. Uncle Joe already taught me all the naughty words." That much was true.

"Yes, and I hate him dearly for that." Sarah agreed. "You know, I kept that guy's mouth clean for almost 900 years, as long as you were inside of me. A miracle, really. Perhaps my greatest feat of all times. I know that I can't stop others from teaching my children such things, but I'll be damned if I allow this to happen before they can even talk."

"Sounds reasonable, I guess." Paula muttered, obviously not realizing what her mother was trying to tell her.

"Worked out in the end. Your first word was indeed not a cuss-word. So bear that in mind, please. I know it will be tough, but if you want to curse for the next couple of, well, a rather long time, do it far away from me. Or not at all. Consider it a good training." Time to go in for the kill.

"Good training for what?" Oh yes, she was definitely Jim Raynor's daughter...

"For being a big sister of course."

…

…

…

There was a long moment of silence. And after a while Sarah heard how someone started to hastily crawl out of the hole and when Paula emerged, she stared at her mother in disbelief. Paula's face was covered with dirt, yet all Sarah saw were those big brown eyes that were still slightly red, courtesy of all the crying.

"Wh-what?"

"Can you keep a secret?" Sarah cooed and smiled at her daughter.

"A... secret?" Paula asked, still dumbfounded.

"I have told no one yet." her mother explained.

"No one? Not even Dad?" her child asked and she nodded.

"Not even even Izsha?!" That question caused Sarah to laugh.

" _Especially_ not Izsha. I'm afraid what will happen should she find out. Trust me, I was never more scared of her then when I told her that I was pregnant with you." Only then the gravity of what Sarah had just said was actually catching up with Paula.

"I... you...we..." Just when Sarah was about to worry, her daughter jumped forward and slung her arms around her mother's neck. "I'm gonna be a big sister?" Sarah wrapped her arms around her child and nodded.

"Sure seems that way."

"I'm gonna be a big sister!" And then the tears started to flow again, only this time tears of joy. And so Sarah just held her child in her arms and enjoyed the sweet sense of happiness that was Paula's mind right now. And when her daughter had finally calmed down...

"Are you gonna tell the others?"

"Hmm..." Sarah mumbled and pulled a brow up. "...I got a better idea. How about we keep this a secret, at least for now. Just you and me. How does that sound?"

"A secret?" Paula gasped.

"Yep. Just us girls. Not even Izsha will know. Though she will probably skin me alive if she finds out that I kept it from her. Still..." Sarah declared before wiping a golden tear off the cheek of her daughter. "...totally worth it."

"And... Dad?"

"Are you kidding? If I tell him now, then he will stick to me like chewing gum. Naaa, let them do their thing. Besides, we got plenty of time. So, how does this sound? It took 900 years until you were done. Should be more than enough time for you to get in shape. Then you can teach the little ones what it means to be an awesome big sister." And that was an argument that Paula finally won over. She threw her arms around her mother once more and pressed herself against Sarah.

"I promise that I will be the best big sister of all times." she whispered into Sarah's ear.

"This time will be enough, Paula. And I have not the slightest doubt that you will be great." And so she just enjoyed holding her child in her arms while the growing life inside of her started to react. A grin appeared on Sarah's face when she noticed that what was growing inside of her was pleased. And now-

"You hear that?" Paula suddenly mumbled and looked towards the horizon.

"Ah, looks like the cavalry has arrived." Sarah chuckled and got back on her feet. She offered her daughter a helping hand and they were already knocking the dust off their clothes when a certain someone came rushing towards their position.

"Where is she? Where is she?! WHERE IS SHE?!" Jim Raynor yelled like a madman as he raced towards them. When he finally reached them, he didn't even waste a second to greet Sarah but grabbed his daughter and looked her into the eyes. "Paula!"

"Yes, that's me." his daughter confirmed.

"Are you okay? What happened? Karax came by and told me you blew something up by accident. Are you injured?"

"She's fine, Jim." Sarah explained, equally amused and annoyed. "Takes more to crack this cookie. How did you get here so fast anyway? Please don't tell me you used that vulture bike you restored. That thing is a deathtrap!"

"It's a classic, and no I didn't use it." Jim replied. "Karax has warp gates all over this place. Sent me through one of 'em." And then he looked at Paula again. "What happened? Ulnar is dangerous, you know that! What if something happens and we aren't there? Have you-"

"That's quite enough, Mister." Sarah cut him short. "She already got the "worried parent talk" from me, she doesn't need it twice. Don't worry, I got this. How about we all just go home, hmm?" Sarah knew that Jim had his reason to act the way he did. Unlike her, he knew what it felt like to lose a child. And even though it happened ages ago, he still remembered Liddy and Johnny every day.

"Have you cried, little one?" Jim mumbled and wiped some dirt off his daughter's cheek. "Are those bruises? Gosh, Sarah, what is this? Our daughter looks like a damn lurker!" Sarah gritted her teeth when she heard him cursing, yet she decided to not say anything right now. She had told Paula to keep their little secret a, well, secret.

"Then you can take her back home and throw her into the bathtub. Besides, isn't it almost dinner time? You take the little mud-lark and make sure that she isn't traumatized."

"Are you not coming with us?" Paula asked, which earned her a smile from her daughter.

"Don't worry, I'll be right behind you. I just want to check something out first. Off you go, you two."

When they were finally gone, Sarah continued to smile for a while until she was certain that they were too far gone to see or feel her. She then looked at her own hand and frowned.

" _When you were my age you could already do all these awesome things."_ she remembered Paula's words from earlier. It was true. Sarah had been not even thirty years old when she had, well, ascended. And even before she had been immensely powerful. The old Queen of Blades, heck, perhaps even as a Ghost she would have been able to be a threat for Paula. But not because Paula was weak. No, far from it. Paula was just as powerful as her mother. The problem was not power, it was control.

They had decided to never keep secrets from her. She knew about everything, the good and the bad. But it seemed as if telling wasn't the same as seeing things with your own eyes.

"So I guess this is how I thought about it, huh?" Sarah mumbled. She had no idea how they had done it. But she remembered that she had met a certain young woman a long time ago, long before she should have. Honestly? The very idea of traveling through time seemed absurd, even to her. But she knew it was possible. "Guess I should have told Paula to leave me a manual." She had to ask Karax for help. Perhaps he knew a way. A way to help Paula understand. Not by telling but by showing. As Sarah looked around, she could see what once had been Ulnar.

"Well, I guess there are still plenty of _pieces that can be put back together_..." she mused. "...but not today." And with that she turned around and walked away, towards her home. Towards her family.

* * *

 **Hyperion**

 **Present time...**

* * *

As Sarah opened her eyes and looked at the endless dark corridor right in front of her, she could sense every detail that was going on inside the wreckage of the Hyperion. She could sense her illustrious spouse, who was beyond embarrassed for some unspecified reason. Sarah didn't pry, but the fact that she also sensed Izsha's gloating joy probably had something to do with it. She could also sense Sirella's confusion, and Professor Allagan's disbelief while Joseph was telling him things that made him feel-

No, let's not check out what Joseph was thinking. Nothing good ever came of that.

And she could sense something else. Something old, ancient even. There was pain, plenty of it. And a strange sense of familiarity.

Stukov...

He was in pain, yes. More so than usual since Sarah could sense the mindless joy of Tesson, who was currently having the time of his life chasing the haunted creature through the insides of the Hyperion. If she would close her eyes and focus on listening to the sounds echoing through the derelict husk that once had been the Hyperion, Sarah could even hear how someone would bang against metal over and over again.

She could even sense the fear and nervousness of all the students and members of Allagan's team who were still waiting back at the camp. Oh, and she could sense a very angry Dan Bowski many miles away.

But, most importantly, she could feel Paula.

She was close, very close. And she was getting closer. Sarah crossed her arms in front of her chest and smiled while sensing her daughter approaching. Paula probably had no idea that her own mother was right ahead. The older Kerrigan noticed how much her spawn was in a hurry. And since she knew her child better than anyone else, she also knew that Paula couldn't concentrate at all when she was running. Still...

...for a moment it felt as if Paula was actually aware of her mother's presence. And that she was shielding something from Sarah's mind. Something old. Something familiar. Something that she hadn't felt in a very long time...

Just before Sarah could focus on that strange sensation, she could hear someone running. And so she straightened herself and waited for her daughter to arrive. And when she did-

"Paula, I-" Sarah started when suddenly a certain young woman stormed around the corner and straight towards her.

"Hey Mum!" Paula yelled, not even slowing down a bit. For a second Sarah wondered if she was about to slam into her, yet then Paula simply curved around her mother and vanished around the next corner.

"Bye Mum!"

Dumbfounded Sarah Kerrigan looked after her child. What had just happened? She blinked a few times. There was something wrong, she just knew it. Just when Paula had run past her, her daughter had carried something in her hands. Something green. Something that was glowing.

...something that once Jim had used, something that she recognized from the descriptions Jim had given her. He even had painted a picture of it once. So even though she had never seen this Protoss artifact with her own two eyes, she knew exactly what it was.

And suddenly Sarah Louise Kerrigan wasn't so calm and controlled anymore.

"PAULA IZSHA KERRIGAN, HAND OVER THIS IHAN CRYSTAL AT ONCE!" the redhead screamed. However, the only answer she received was-

"SORRY, MUM, NO CAN DO!" she heard the voice of her daughter screaming through the darkness. "I GOT PLANS WITH IT!" And that was probably the worst thing she could have said, since now Sarah was actually worried.


	20. Chapter 20

**Not much to say about this chapter. Except of course that I have to thank all the people who left a review and read this story so far. And a special thanks goes to my beta-reader, bjlu0900. Thanks, man.**

* * *

 **Chapter 20**

 **The Things that we rather wish to forget**

* * *

You know what's a bad idea? To be the bearer of bad news. As any messenger whoever delivered bad news to a king. Even if it wasn't the guys' fault who spilled the beans, his beans were usually spilled afterward. So you had to be either very brave or very stupid to do something like that.

Another bad idea is to reject the so-called "natural order of things". You know, speaking up against politicians, religious leaders, or anyone who has powers and doesn't want to accept that things are changing. That too is a great way to end up with one head less than the average person.

So yeah, you either had to be very brave or very stupid.

But deliberately pissing off a goddess?

That was on a whole different level.

"PAULA IZSHA KERRIGAN!" the voice of a certain person with abilities that could be considered "godlike" boomed through the empty corridors. "HAND OVER THIS IHAN CRYSTAL AT ONCE!" When she heard that, Paula pressed the green crystal even harder against her chest.

"SORRY MUM!" she yelled back. "NO CAN DO! I GOT PLANS WITH IT!" No one said anything about good plans though. Honestly? Right now, Paula realized that she should have thought things a bit more through. Yeah, she was used to making things up as sheen go. Bad habit of being a Raynor it would seem.

"Meh, plans are for people...who care about...consequences..." she panted as she ran as if the devil herself was after her. Which would have been preferable in all honesty? At least the devil wasn't related to the thing that was after her. Still, as Paula heard the light footsteps behind her, a smile appeared on her face. Ha, she made her mother run! And then that smile vanished from her face.

Oh, crap...she made her mother run!

Sarah Kerrigan, at least in this time and age, never ran. If anything, then she "walked with flair". The fact that she was actually using her feet instead of her powers could only mean one thing:

Right now, she was too angry to use her powers.

Well, that couldn't be good.

Paula had to buy some time, at least until the next part of her plan would happen. Gosh, she really should have taken notes. Remembering stuff was so hard, especially if there was a cranky goddess right on your heels. And so, she slid past the next corner and ran as hard as she could. Which was surprisingly fast given the fact that she had never actually trained herself that much. Good genes most likely. But even though she was surprised by her own stamina, Paula was no match for her mother, with or without psionics. So her impressive burst of speed turned into a pitiful huffing and puffing as she tried to outrun someone who could run a marathon without even breaking a sweat. And so...

"Paula, stop right now!" her mother barked as she ran after her child. When the young Kerrigan realized that her mother was _right behind_ her, she eeeped in terror and tried to run faster.

"Young lady! Stop this nonsense right now or I will have you help Karax clean up Ulnar!" Sarah declared, which was the closest equivalent to _"...or you will clean your room until it is pristine!"_

Well, there was no way to go back now. She might have been able to explain everything to her folks and come out unscathed (unscathed for Paula's standards anyway). But now that her mother had seen the Ihan crystal...

As Paula ran, she pressed the crystal against her chest. All she had to do was to buy some more time. Time until the next phase of her plan would come to fruition. Oh, right now she was so proud of herself! A plan! _Her_ plan! And it was coming along so nicely! Mostly. Partially. Occasionally...

Okay, let's just agree that more things were working that weren't.

Behind her, Paula was having no problems following her daughter. The older Kerrigan was still a pinnacle not only of psionic prowess but had managed to keep and maintain her physical condition over all those centuries. And so Paula had to come up with something new, something to stall her mother long enough for her plan to succeed. So how would she achieve that? By doing what she did best:

Creating more chaos, of course!

You know, this probably sounded weird, but wasn't this how a pantheon worked? It sure did! Oh, Paula would be an awesome goddess of chaos! She could already imagine how there would be songs about the goddess of chaos, the spawn of the goddess of life!

"Young lady, stop this "goddess"-nonsense right now!" she could hear the furious voice of her mother behind her, which caused her to eep in terror and run even harder when she realized that her mother had no trouble reading her mind. And so Paula concentrated on the thing at hand: Running like crazy. But even that was less successful as she hoped it would be...

"Hey." a certain redhead said when she pulled alongside her daughter. "How's life?"

"He-hey...Mum..." Paula gasped and panted.

"You know..." Sarah mused. She was running just as fast as her daughter yet it didn't even seem that she was a little bit out of breath. "...I'm not saying that I'm furious. Or worried. But how about we slow down a bit and have a talk, huh? How does that sound?"

"Sounds...nice..." Paula replied. "...but...can't...do..."

"Fair enough." her mother replied. "Still, I have to ask you to hand over that Ihan crystal. Now." The way she pronounced that last word left no doubt about it that this wasn't a request but an order.

"Hey..." Paula then suddenly panted. "...did you...do something...with your hair?" When Sarah heard that, she brushed one of her long flocks of hair behind her ear.

"Oh, you noticed? How nice. No one else did. Also: No stalling. Hand me over that crystal, now."

"What...are you...gonna...do with it?" Paula wanted to know, still busy stalling like crazy. From the corner of her eye, she could see that they were approaching something. It was an elevator shaft, and the door was just wide enough open for one person to fit through.

"Destroy it." Sarah declared.

"I was...afraid...that you would...say that." her child muttered. By now she was drenched in sweat and looked as if she was about to keel over. Sarah, who seemed to notice her daughter's rather pitiful stamina, suddenly turned around and ran backward.

"You know, this is actually a good workout. Reminds me of how I trained your namesake. She would pant and whine like crazy too. Even vomit from time to time." Sarah mused, remembering a certain young woman that she had met a very long time ago. And even though this Paula was no longer around, her memories remained. Memories that Sarah always remembered fondly.

"Tell you...what...how about...we go back home...and you tell me...about her?" Paula huffed and puffed. "...and then...Dad can...cook for us..."

"Yeah, good times." Sarah mused. "Also: Stop stalling. The crystal, hand it over. Now." Her voice sounded slightly annoyed now.

"I don't...wanna..."

"What do you even want to do with that thing? Hold on, wait, don't tell me. I don't want to know any details anyway." Sarah sighed. "Just give it to me."

"No... can't...do..." The elevator-shaft was close, so very close. Just a few more meters and-

"If you think that you can push me into that elevator-shaft, then you're a couple of centuries too young to get away with something like that." When Paula heard that, she nearly choked and looked at her mother both hurt and embarrassed.

"You said...you would respect...my privacy...and never probe...my mind..."

"You're a Raynor. Bad plans run in your blood. I don't even have to read your mind for that." Sarah just explained. Ouch, that hurt. "Enough fun and games, Paula. The others are starting to worry. And you don't want your father to be worried, right?"

"I... don't know...kinda like...the attention..."

"I'm sure you do." the older Kerrigan mused while her daughter was about to collapse and suffer a heart attack. Jeez, Paula sure as hell had no stamina whatsoever. "Ever thought about workouts? I could teach you a thing or to."

"Now who's...stalling?" Paula panted.

"Fair enough." her mother replied and reached out with her hand, hellbent to end this stupidity. She grabbed the green crystal that Paula pressed against her chest. Both women stopped, yet Paula did not yield and had no intention of handing the crystal over to her mother. And so they did what every serious adult with godlike powers would do.

They played tug-of-war with it...

"Hand the crystal over, young lady!"

"Nu-uh! I found it first, it's mine!"

"This is not a toy! You have no idea what to do with it!"

"Well, I tell you what I won't do with it: Destroy it!"

"Some things are better left in the past, Paula!"

"Yeah? Like your hairstyle maybe!"

"You said you liked it!"

"Yeah, sure. If you like 1000-year-old hairstyles!"

When Sarah heard that, she could feel how her eyelid started to twitch. The line between having a child and having a brat was a very thin one. And right now, Paula was definitely crossing the line.

"Young lady!" Sarah growled. "For the last time: Hand over this crystal!" she demanded and pulled it towards her, yet her daughter continued to fight back.

"Just let go, Mum! I got this! I know what I'm doing!"

"I'm sorry, Paula, but right now I have my doubts about this. This thing is not a piece of Ulnar you can mess around with." And then Sarah decided to stop wasting any more time. She did no longer try to rip the crystal out of her daughter's hands, yet she still continued to touch it. And then Paula's mother closed her eyes and focused her mind on the Ihan crystal. It was old. So very old. It had rested inside the abandoned Hyperion for over 1000 years. By now almost its entire energy had been depleted. And even then, she still could sense something familiar, something that she hadn't felt in over one thousand years. No, not something...

...someone.

Sarah started to pour some of her energies into the crystal. Not much, only the tiniest fraction. But it was enough to make the crystal glow as it was infused with fresh energies. At first, her daughter stared at her in confusion. Wait, was her mother trying to help her? That's when suddenly a crack appeared on the surface of the crystal, and when Paula realized what her mother was about to do, she started to panic.

"What? Oh no! Nononononono!" she shouted, closed her eyes and gritted her teeth. Two can play this game! Only that she sucked at playing this game. Oh, and she was up against the best darn player in the whole galaxy and maybe the known universe.

Par for the course then!

"Paula, stop it!" her mother hissed yet didn't stop her. Her energies were about to disintegrate the crystal. She didn't just want to blow it. An exploding crystal was generally a bad idea. No, she wanted to make sure to wipe it from existence. Unfortunately, Paula had different plans. While Sarah's energies were focused and controlled, Paula's were, well...

...the exact opposite.

And yet they were still easily as potent as those of Sarah. Under normal circumstances, Sarah should have been able to handle this situation. But the fact that Paula was pouring almost all of her energies into that crystal came as a surprise to her, and so Sarah had to make sure that her daughter wouldn't blow them all up by accident. They both kept their eyes closed, so they couldn't see how the crystal started to emit green light.

"Child, stop it!" Sarah snarled yet kept her eyes closed.

"I can't! I still need that crystal! I gave my promise!" Paula replied.

"Who did you promise what?" her mother demanded to know but that's when another crack appeared on the surface of the crystal. And then another one. In her panic Paula did the worst thing she could; she started to pour even more energies into the crystal. Unfortunately, this was like pouring gasoline into a fire and soon Sarah was trying her best to keep things from getting any worse.

Naturally that wasn't going to work.

And so...

"Can't...allow you...to do that...Mum!" Paula panted. Sarah felt how her daughter's mind slipped into the crystal. This was bad. Really bad.

"Paula, stop it! Are you insane? This is beyond dangerous!" Sarah yelled and opened her eyes. She stared at her child, cursing Paula's recklessness. Just what had gotten into this child all of the sudden? But all she saw was Paula's determined look on her face. Sarah could feel how Paula's mind entered the crystal, how she started to access it with her powers. That also meant that she had formed a connection to it, and as a result Sarah couldn't just disintegrate it. Not without risking her daughter's mind, something Sarah would never dare to do. And so Sarah, knowing that this was probably the most idiotic plan of all times, did the only thing she could come up with.

She followed her daughter inside...

* * *

Darkness. As Sarah opened her eyes, all she saw was...darkness. Her senses seemed dull, yet she didn't panic. Experience had taught her that this was just an illusion, the insides of an Ihan crystal. As she looked down at herself, she could see her own body, surrounded by eternal darkness. Her mind told her that this body was just an image and not real, even though it felt that way.

"...Mum?" she could suddenly hear a familiar voice in the distance.

"Paula?" Sarah shouted back. "Where are you?"

"...Mum, is that you?"

"I am here. With you." Sarah replied and turned around. She couldn't pinpoint her daughter's location, not by sound and not by using her psionics. "Paula, it's okay. Just stay where you are, I'm going to find you." Easier said than done. Just when Sarah was about to step forward, suddenly a bright and painful flash appeared inside her mind. She grabbed her head and winced in discomfort. And then...

"Raynor..." an all-too-familiar sound suddenly boomed inside her head. Someone that she hadn't heard in over one thousand years, yet whose voice Sarah recognized immediately.

"Ze-Zeratul?" she whispered in disbelief.

"...the hounds of the void are closing in..." the dead Prelate continued. It was as if his voice was coming from everywhere at the same time. "I impart my memory – my very essence – into this Ihan crystal...so that you will see what I have seen...and that the future...may yet have hope."

Sarah looked around. She knew that this place wasn't real, yet she still tried to find the source of the voice. Technically it wasn't even a voice, just the fading psionic imprint of an ancient memory within the crystal.

"...Mum, can you hear that?" she could hear Paula's voice. "It's him! He's still here!"

So that was the reason why Sarah's daughter had come all the way out here. Curses. Sarah gritted her teeth and felt something that she rarely felt these days: Frustration.

"She so got this from her father..." the older Kerrigan growled before she took a deep breath. "Paula, stay where you are! Do not go any further! Your mind is in danger if you do that!" While Sarah was no expert on Ihan crystals in general, she was no dud either. With more than one thousand years of life experience under her belt, her psionic abilities, and a certain phasesmith that had turned out to be an excellent teacher, she knew enough about this place to know that it could be potentially dangerous if you didn't know what you were doing.

And there was not even the slightest doubt in Sarah's mind that Paula had no friggin' clue of what she was doing.

That's when suddenly Zeratul's voice echoed through her mind once more.

"Friend Raynor..." he began. This thing was so out of juice, it probably didn't even recognize that it wasn't talking to Jim. Tough luck.

"Is there no mute-button?" Sarah growled.

"...long has it been since we stood together against the Swarm." Oh hell. Sarah felt how an icy chill ran down a spine when she heard that. Only then she realized that this had happened so very long ago, back when she had been not the same person that she was now. When she had been...

"Crap." Sarah whispered, bending her own rules on not cursing. "Paula! Get back here at once!"

"...I think I found him, Mum! Don't worry, once I-AGH!" That's when suddenly Paula's voice stopped. Sarah's eyes widened in surprise and shock.

"What? Paula? PAULA?!" she screamed. Sarah could still feel her daughter's presence, both inside the crystal and in the real world. She was alive. But aside from that...

"Since then I have wandered the Void in solitude – seeking an ancient prophecy rumored to foretell the return of the Xel'Naga." Zeratul spoke. Images filled Sarah's mind. Images of empty space, a desolate world, and a Protoss vessel traveling there.

"My sojourn led me to a remote world known as Ulaan..." the dead Prelate continued.

Ulaan? That name rang a bell but Sarah couldn't really tell why. All she knew was that she could sense Paula's presence deeper within the crystal, from the place where Zeratul's voice was coming from. She gritted her teeth, knowing that she was about to do something stupid. But if your own child is in danger, then you gotta do what you gotta do.

"Just wait for me, young lady. You will be grounded for life!" And then Sarah closed her eyes and opened her mind to enter the deepest part of the crystal, knowing full well that she wouldn't like what she was about to see.

"...where I discovered fragments of the prophecy." Zeratul continued. "Yet I was not the first-"

"Oh, just shut up!" Sarah barked.

* * *

To call this place desolate would have been an understatement. It was dark, cold and wet. Water was dripping from the dark stones. Ragged edges and cliffs formed the landscape, broken up by ravines that were so deep that you couldn't see the bottom. It was the last place where you would go if you had a choice.

Perhaps that was the reason why the Xel'Naga had built their temple here? To hide it, knowing that only those brave enough to face the danger would come here? Or desperate enough?

Green light was falling on the ancient runes, carved into stone. They showed familiar forms. On the left side, ascending steadily, you could see claws and teeth.

"The zerg swarm came as was foretold..." Zeratul's voice echoed through the void. On the right side the runes showed a different species, one he was all-too-familiar with since it was his very own.

"And the protoss, first born of the gods rose to fight them." Both sides were meeting in the middle, where something else was waiting, presiding over them like a, well, god. The being that the runes showed looked both strange and familiar at the same time.

"Now the Xel'Naga that forged us all, are returning." Zeratul spoke to himself as he used his psi-blade to cast some light on these runes. His eyes glinted in the twilight as he mused the meaning behind these inscriptions. "But do they come to save...or to destroy?" That's when suddenly a new voice echoed through this place.

"Yeah, well, spoilers: A bit of page one and a bit of page two." behind Zeratul a certain young woman mumbled. Paula was unsure of what to do. There he was, in all of his glory. Zeratul. The Dark Prelate. The Protoss revered him. It was one of the things Artanis had made sure of. His name stood among that of the heroes and paragons his species had produced. Adun, Tassadar, Zeratul, Talandar...every single one a legend in their own rights. The only reason why Artanis wasn't among those was the fact that he was still alive. Probably.

Paula tried to keep her distance, yet at the same time she felt drawn towards the huge Protoss. Much to the annoyance of Sarah Kerrigan her daughter had grown up hearing old stories about these great Protoss-heroes, like Tassadar. And Fenix. Oh, especially Fenix! Her father loved to tell stories about him. And so Paula, the daughter of the former Queen of Blades, had turned into someone who was fascinated by the Protoss, their culture and their history.

Talk about irony!

The young Kerrigan watched how Zeratul studied the inscriptions on the wall as he was looking for clues. All of this had happened one thousand years ago. It was ancient past, yet Paula felt the urge to tell him so he wouldn't waste precious time. It just looked and felt so real...

"You know, this place is actually pretty creepy. Can't believe you came here on your own." she muttered but Zeratul didn't reply anything. He couldn't, he was just a memory stored inside the Ihan crystal. Or so she thought.

Suddenly Zeratul turned around and looked at her.

"Holy hell." Paula muttered, not noticing that something was going on behind her. "Can... can you see me? Is this-" But then Zeratul made a step forward and simply walked through Paula as if she was thin air, his psi-blade raised high above his head to light his way.

"...or not." the young woman muttered. Seriously, for the fraction of a second it had looked as if he could see her. She turned around and watched as Zeratul walked down a long staircase, carefully. Behind him the mighty Xel'Naga temple rose from the ground all the way into the ceiling. It almost seemed as if it had grown into the cave.

"Whoa...Karax would love to see this." Paula whispered. Who knew, maybe this place still existed. She could tell her uncle about it, maybe this would be a good reason for him to finally leave Ulnar, or what was left of it, behind for some time and go and see the galaxy. There were still plenty of relics of the Xel'Naga around. Thankfully most of them were within the territories of the Protoss and the Zerg. The Firstborn did no longer worship the Xel'Naga as gods, at least not most of them. But they still had respect for them. And as such their temples and ruins were still considered sacred. Or at least too dangerous to be exploited. As for the Zerg? Well, they didn't care about those ruins but just didn't like it if people came to their home uninvited. Or at all.

"Guess I have to ask Mum where this place might be once..." She then looked over her shoulder and noticed that Zeratul was gone. "Crap!" The young Kerrigan ran down the stairs, trying to find the reason why she had come out here in the first place. Thankfully she could see the green glow of Zeratul's psi-blade in the distance. And so she did her best to catch up with the Dark Prelate. What she noticed after a while was that she was no longer huffing and puffing as if she was about to collapse.

And so it was surprisingly easy for Paula to catch up with Zeratul. And when she did, she slowed down right next to him as he walked past several sharp rocks sprouting from the ground like they were thorns growing from a Zerg's carapace.

"You know, we actually met once." Paula started to talk as if Zeratul was able to hear her. "Then again it wasn't really you. More like a mental clone that was left behind in my father's mind after he used the Ihan crystal. Guess you couldn't have imagined that back then, eh? Or that you are the reason why I am here in the first place." Only then she realized how weird that sounded. "I mean you helped my parents! You're not my daddy or anything like that!" And with that she made it even weirder.

Zeratul moved carefully. It was as if he was looking for something. A threat maybe? Yet Paula wasn't really paying attention to their surroundings. Not even when they walked past yet another rocky spine. A rocky spine that started to move once they were past it.

"Anyway, the reason why I'm here is actually...hey, are you even listening? Hey! I'm talWHAAAAAAA!" Paula screamed in terror when suddenly something big and scaly emerged from the shadows right behind them. Zeratul turned around and the moment a creature straight from the realm at nightmares hissed at them, he turned around and sliced through the huge creature with his deadly psi-blade.

Everything was happening so fast that Paula had barely any chance to react. She stumbled backward as the two halves of the dead creature landed right before her feet. Yet while she only managed to stare at the dead corpse in shock (realizing that it was still twitching), Zeratul threw himself around and attacked the creature that had approached them from the other side, slicing this attacker into pieces as well.

The second hydralisk fell, yet the Dark Prelate didn't even waste one more glance into the creature's direction. Instead he stormed towards another hydralisk that was about to attack him, with another Zerg appearing right behind that one. Paula had no idea what was going on. Suddenly she bumped into something soft and warm.

Soft and warm?

Paula's whole body tensed up when she realized that there was something alive right behind her. She could even feel the warm breath of the other creature touching her neck.

This was the exact moment when Paula Kerrigan realized...

...that hydralisks scared the living hell out of her.

Zeratul was the exact opposite. Paula saw how he jumped in the air, performed a somersault, only to land on the closest hydralisk, producing a backbreaking sound as he rammed his heavy feet into the creature's backside, breaking its spine in the process. Without wasting any time, he threw himself towards the next creature within his reach. The hydralisk had its maw wide open, ready to bite the Dark Prelate and tear him into pieces. Instead of tender Protoss-meat, it was rewarded with a hot and sizzling psi-blade as Zeratul smashed his fist forward, burying his weapon deep inside the zerg's throat. The hydralisk struggled, but it was pointless. Mortally wounded all it could do was to slow the Dark Prelate down so others could go in for the kill.

The hydralisk behind them, the one with the broken leg, ignored its own pain and got back up. It threw itself forward, ready to tear Zeratul into pieces. Yet as it reached its razor-sharp forearm, Zeratul freed himself from its dying brother, turned around and detached its arm from its body with a clean cut.

Blood sprayed, and the hydralisk screamed. Not in pain, but in rage. Its severed arm flew through the air, until it was caught by Zeratul, who took aim and smashed the sharp tip through the Hydralisk's skull, pinning it to the ground with its own appendage. The death-scream of this creature sounded like the howl of the damned, and while Zeratul was busy laying waste to the Swarm, Paula only managed to squeal in distress.

"Zeratul, help!" she screamed as the creature behind her placed her soft hands on her shoulders and leaned forward. And when the hydralisk in her back talked to her...

"That's enough, Paula!"

...Paula realized that it wasn't a Hydralisk.

She was just able to notice how angry and worried her mother looked.

"Mum, I-"

But that's when her mother started to laugh.

Only that it wasn't _her_ mother.

"...hahahahahaha..." the voice of Sarah Kerrigan echoed through the cave. Paula knew her mother's laugh. She loved that sound. But this...it sounded wrong. Cold. Cruel. She looked away from her mother and towards the source of the sound, a figure nearby emerging from the shadows. And while Paula's eyes widened in shock and surprise, Sarah Kerrigan seemed a lot less shocked. Instead the look on her face was resentful.

"I knew you'd find your way here..." the leader of the Swarm announced as her yellow eyes glowed in the darkness. "...eventually." Both Paula and her mother witnessed how Zeratul and the once feared Queen of the Blades came face to face.

"Your very presence defiles this place..." Zeratul growled. "...Kerrigan."

"Do you hear them, Zeratul?" the Queen of Blades cooed, a faint smile on her face. "Whispering from the stars?" And then she leaned forward. "The galaxy will burn with their coming!" Paula could feel the warm hands of her mother on her shoulders, and how she tightened her grip. Sarah wasn't hurting her daughter, but it seemed that this whole scene was starting to get to her as well. Who could blame her?

Probably everyone who had lived during that time.

"Perhaps..." Zeratul replied while taking a step backward and vanishing from everyone's sight. The Queen of Blades frowned and looked around. She probably knew that he was about to strike from the shadows, but from where? No matter how powerful the Queen of Blades, the _first_ Queen of Blades had been, Zeratul would make a formidable foe to pretty much anyone. Or so she thought. For when he reappeared right above her, clinging to the rocky ceiling, she had already spotted him.

"But you won't live to see it!" Zeratul yelled and jumped down. He re-ignited his psi-blade as he descended upon his most dreaded enemy while the Queen of Blades focused her psionic energies, ready to throw them against her foe. And then-

"That's enough." Paula's mother said, and suddenly everything around them came to a halt.

At first Paula didn't understand what she was seeing. Zeratul hung in the air, frozen, as if held up by someone's psionic powers. Only when Sarah's daughter noticed that the Queen of Blades wasn't moving either that something was wrong. Even the surrounding Hydralisks were not moving at all.

Slowly Paula looked over her shoulder.

"Mum..." She was about to say that she was sorry when she noticed that her mother wasn't even looking at her. Instead, Sarah Kerrigan was staring at the Queen of Blades. Her daughter could still feel Sarah's hands on her shoulders. And she could feel how her mother's fingers were trembling.

Paula had never seen her mother trembling.

"Mum?!" she gasped when Sarah stepped to the side and slowly walked towards the Queen of Blades. "Mum, are you okay?" But her mother didn't answer. She walked past another frozen Hydralisk, ignoring it completely. And when she reached the Queen of Blades, when she stood in front of her, she did something that was against her very own beliefs these days...

She cursed.

"Shit..."

Paula knew how to be the perfect daughter. She knew how to behave, and she knew how to cause no trouble. Unfortunately, she rarely did that because it was boring. But this right now was one of those rare moments when common sense prevailed.

"Mum? Are you...okay?" Paula muttered. "You're not going to go crazy now and become her again, are you?" Much to her relief her mother didn't intend to go old-school again.

"I can't even remember this moment..." Sarah Kerrigan whispered as she looked straight into the glowing eyes of the Queen of Blades.

"Mum?"

"This moment. I can't remember it." Sarah explained. At first Paula was unsure if her mother was actually talking to her, but then Sarah gestured her daughter to come closer. When Paula hesitated because of all those hydralisks around them, Sarah confirmed that there was nothing to be afraid of.

"None of this is real, Paula. Nothing in here can hurt you. Come here, I want you to see this." And so Paula did as she was told. It still took her quite some time to reach her mother since she tried her best to stay as far away as possible from all those hydralisks. And when she finally reached Sarah...

"Come here." Sarah whispered. This time her daughter knew better than to drive her crazy. "Look at her." her mother ordered and Paula did as she was told. What she saw was...frightening.

"She doesn't look like you." Paula mumbled. Oh, she looked like Sarah alright. But only on the outside. "That's not you. You're-" she started.

"I never found an answer to that question." her mother interrupted her.

"Question? What question?"

"If that thing is truly me. If I've been lying to myself all this time." Sarah explained. She took a deep breath and for a moment it seemed as if she was about to start to cry.

"I don't understand..." Paula said.

"I don't remember this moment." her mother explained. "Convenient, isn't it? Paula, you know that I did a lot of horrible things. Your father and I never kept that specific part of our past from you. But that doesn't mean that we, that I, managed to overcome all those things." A sigh escaped her lips before she grabbed her daughter's hand and gave it a soft squeeze. "Even now, even after all this time, I barely remember anything from my time as the Queen of Blades, back when the Overmind took me and turned me into the agent of the Swarm. I never actually tried to find out wherever if those memories are truly lost, or if I'm just fooling myself and live in some sort of self-denial."

"I saw it, remember? I saw how you were back then. All of you. It was-" Paula tried to reason with her mother.

"You saw a glimpse of the past, Paula." her mother interrupted her. "Yes, you saw me when I was broken. When your father was broken. But you didn't see me at my all-time-low. You didn't see me when I was..." She pointed at the frozen version of herself. "...this." Sarah bit on her lip and seemed to struggle to find the right words. "I know this sounds wrong, but I'm glad that you haven't seen me like this. Even if I can't remember much...I feel so much shame right now, Paula. Because I'm too afraid to figure out wherever all these horrible actions I committed were because I was a mere puppet or tool...or out of my own volition." And then Sarah looked her daughter straight into the eyes. "I am a coward, Paula. I never dared to go there."

"You are no coward." Paula protested. "The things you did...you fought and bled and battled against things that I can't even pronounce!"

"My dear little Paula." Sarah sighed. "There comes a day when a child understands that its parents are just as flawed as everyone else." She then placed both her hands on Paula's cheeks and offered her daughter a sad smile. "I can only hope that you will learn from my mistakes, and not repeat them. But in the end, it will be up to you, it will be your choice. Come here." And then she grabbed her daughter and pulled her into a tight embrace. The world around them started to vanish and soon the only thing that remained in the darkness were the two Kerrigans hugging it out.

"I'm sorry..." Paula whispered. "I never wanted to make you worry about me. The others yes. Especially Dad. But not you." That caused Sarah to chuckle.

"Heh. Sounds about right." She enjoyed the moment for a while longer before she released her daughter from her embrace and looked her into the eyes while wiping a golden tear from Paula's cheek. "Now, what is this all about?" It seemed that Paula would again not tell her mother about what she had planned. Not until she sighed.

"I made a promise to someone. It's important."

"And you need an Ihan crystal for that?" Sarah asked.

"Not just any crystal. I need _this_ one." And when Paula's mother heard that, she too sighed.

"Well, I guess I now know who you made that promise to." she muttered. "And what exactly did you promise?"

"Well..." Paula started. "...you probably won't like it. You see, it's like this..."

And in the end Paula was right. Sarah didn't like it.

But sometimes you have to let others find their own way.

* * *

"...and then she would just look at me, all serious and stuff, tilt her head to the side and say: "May I come inside?" And I was like: Whoa! So I honestly didn't know what to say, which is pretty rare for me, you know." Sitting next to him, Professor Jerome Allagan sighed when he heard that. Right now, he seriously had his doubts that this man even understood the concept of shutting up.

"With all due respect, Mister Brent, I don't think that I-"

"And you know what she said after that?" Joseph simply continued as if he hadn't even heard the Professor complaining. "She then said: "My eyes are up here." Ha! Just like that! Ah! That came so out of the cold. Ahaha! Aaaaaaahhh...good times." The real question right now was if he was actually talking to Allagan or himself right now.

Probably the latter...

"After that she-" Brent continued, but that's when Allagan finally snapped.

"I'm sorry, but is there a reason why you keep tormenting me with this stuff?" he protested. Allagan was a friendly man. And it was not in his nature to be rude. Or aggressive. But this man...he was testing the Professor's patience.

"Whadda'ya mean?" Joseph asked before he grabbed something beneath the table they were sitting at. Allagan watched in horror how the sickly-looking man pulled an ancient bottle out and opened it.

"Are you insane? This is an artifact! It may be of archaeological value of untold magnitude!" the desperate Professor yelled. But Joseph just opened the bottle, took a quick sniff, and then drank some of the liquid inside.

Only to spit it out mere fractions of a second later.

"BUAAAARG!" Joseph gagged. "Oh God, it tastes just as bad as I remember. Well, you know what they say about medicine! Down the hatch!" And so he took another mouthful. But that too only stayed in his mouth for roughly two seconds before he spat it out on the dusty floor. "ACK! No! Bad idea. Bad idea! Uh, how did I manage to drink that stuff back then? Whoa!" Joseph then wiped some ancient moonshine and drool off his chin and gagged a few more times until he was okay again.

"This...what is this?!" Allagan gasped, talking about the absurdity of this situation, and the blatant disregard of how important every artifact inside this derelict husk truly was.

"Moonshine." Joseph coughed. "Or at least that's what it was called by the guy who made it. Though you know what? I never tasted anything like that in all of my life. I'm pretty sure that he actually put some battery-acid in it..." Once he had calmed down, Joseph took a deep breath and shook his head. "Anyway. Where was I? Ah, yes! "My eyes are up here." And did you know what she did next? She-"

"I DON'T CARE!" Allagan suddenly yelled, which caused Joseph to look at him in surprise.

"'Scuse me?" But the Professor was in no mood for excuses.

"No! You've been stalling me for hours now! While your buddies are running around inside this ship, doing God knows what! But you know what the worst thing is? The utter bullshit you've been telling me in the last couple of hours!"

"Bullshhhh...gha!" Joseph gagged. For a second it seemed as if he was having a seizure, but then he just looked up at the ceiling. "Oh, come on, Sarah! Why is he allowed to curse and I'm not?" he yelled.

"This is not funny!" Allagan protested.

"Yeah, I agree." Joseph replied. "I don't have to be insulted like that. I just wanted to have a conversation with you. There's no reason to go all commando on me. Could have told me if you didn't want to hear my life's story."

"Your life's story?!" the Professor moaned. "You told me nothing but lies and overblown fantasy-stories so far!" When Joseph heard that, he looked at the Professor with a shocked expression on his face.

"Say what? Dude, I told you nothing but the truth. Honestly!"

"Really?" Allagan replied. "So you are over one thousand years old. You used to work for the founder of the Empire, Valerian the First-"

"No." Joseph interrupted him. "I said: I worked for his buddy, Admiral Horner, and-"

"Yes, Admiral Horner, the hero of the Great War. Of course. And then you told me that you were killed, revived by...a space goddess-"

"She doesn't like it if you call her that..." the sickly man mumbled.

"...who happened to be the Queen of Blades before. Who also happened to be a human before that. Who was infested, de-infested, re-infested, ascended by becoming a Xelphaga-"

"Xel'Naga." Joseph corrected him.

"...fell in love with a Zerg-"

"Former Zerg, thank you very much."

"...and have over 400 daughters. You, dear Sir, need psychological help!"

"Don't forget my garden." Joseph just mused. "It is my pride and joy. Well, except for my daughters."

"That is ENOUGH!" Allagan roared and stood up. Whatever was going in, this man was insufferable. The Professor was so in a rage that he didn't realize how the door to the cafeteria was opened and someone entered the room. "None of what you said made any sense. If you want to lie to me, fine! But stop insulting me with such obvious stories that are absolutely retarded!"

"You just called my garden retarded?" Joseph mumbled. "Dude, never insult a man's garden. Seriously. That's worse than calling my mother a rotten Zergling." Yet Allagan was in no mood for this bullshit.

"What did you do the Marshal? Who are you guys? And what do you want to do to this relic? I demand answers!" Allagan did not notice how something tall stopped right behind him. Something _very_ tall. And something that didn't walk but slithered. A goofy grin appeared on Brent's face when he noticed who it was.

"And why are you smiling? Do you take me for a fool? Do you think this is funny?" the Professor yelled.

"Joseph, what have you done again." the voice of Izsha suddenly reached them. Only then Allagan noticed that she was right behind him. He pointed his finger at the man, not even bothering to look over his shoulder.

"He wasted my time telling me one idiotic story after the other! That he's ancient. That he's in love with a Zerg-"

"Former Zerg." Izsha corrected him.

"That's what I said..." Joseph mumbled.

"...and then he claimed to have over 400 dau...wait, what?" Allagan stuttered when he suddenly realized that Izsha had indeed confirmed Joseph's story. The Professor then finally decided to face Izsha. "Professor Brent, please, I think I deserve to know why...you...are...really...here..." His voice turned into a whisper when he stared up, straight into a noseless face and yellow eyes that were glowing. He went pale in an instant, opened his mouth...

...and then simply fainted.

"Heh, and I didn't even tell him about how I wrecked Ulnar yet!" Joseph joked.


	21. Chapter 21

**Sorry for the long delay. Life has this weird tendency to throw work at you whenever you really don't need it. Anyway, here's a new chapter. Have fun.**

* * *

 **Chapter 21**

 **Even in the Best Families...**

* * *

"Sarah?" Jim asked his lover with a worried expression on his face. "Are you okay?" But Sarah wouldn't answer that. She simply stood there, in the middle of the corridor, her hands wrapped around an Ihan crystal. No, not just any Ihan crystal. It was the crystal that had changed Jim's life in a tremendous way. That thing had saved his butt two times. The first time when it had told him that saving Sarah from what Arcturus' betrayal had caused. And the second time when Zeratul's memories had helped him to fix Sarah after they had met again.

"That's new." Joseph mumbled while looking at the scene right in front of him. "Did they do that before?"

"No..." Jim whispered. Sarah's expression was calm and serene. The Ihan crystal in her hands was pulsing in the same rhythm as her breath. She wasn't the only one holding it, though. Paula held it in her hands as well. As for her expression, well...

"Eggh...ghaaaa...ecchhh..." The weirdest sounds left Jim's daughter's throat while she was...he couldn't even tell. Unlike Sarah, who appeared calm and composed, Paula's mouth twitched all the time, her tongue was hanging out, and drool was dripping from her chin. Seriously, she looked as if she was having a seizure right now.

"You know..." Joseph mused. "...usually it's hard to tell that Paula is your kid, Jim, since she looks so much like her mother. But I must admit: Right now she's your spitting image."

"Not funny, Joseph." Jim growled.

"Depends on who you're asking." Joseph replied before leaning forward and studying the crystal the both Kerrigans were currently holding in their hands before scratching his chin. "Hmmm, so that's an Ihan crystal? I gotta say, I've never seen one up close before. Say, is this the crystal that I heard so much about? The one that guy Zeratul had given to you?" he asked. Joseph had only heard those stories from Jim and Izsha, about how Zeratul had saved their butts on several occasions, both the real one and the mental clone that had resided in Jim's mind for years.

As for Sarah?

Well, she once had told Joseph that if you have nothing nice to say about someone, don't say anything at all. Which pretty much summed up how she felt about the Dark Prelate. Even after 1000 years she still held a grudge. It was one of the many reasons why Joseph Brent liked Sarah Kerrigan so much. That, and the fact that she had allowed him to cultivate his weirdness for the last one thousand years.

"Are they...what are those two doing with it anyway? Watching a movie?" the sickly-looking man mumbled.

"Basically, yes." Jim confirmed. "Zeratul stored some of his memories inside that crystal, about how he discovered the truth behind Amon." Even though it happened such a long time ago, Jim still remembered most of it. Right now his mind was torn between two questions. Was there something inside this crystal he didn't want Paula to see? And the other question was: What the hell was Paula trying to do with this crystal anyway?

The second question was one that he couldn't answer right now. All Jim could hope for was that Sarah would talk some sense into their daughter. He had no doubt that she was currently somehow communicating with Paula. As for the first question, well...

There were things inside this crystal that even he didn't want to see anymore. Death and destruction, carnage everywhere. A depressing vision of a potential future, and even though this version of the future had not come into being, that didn't mean that it was nice to look at. And let's not forget about the Queen of Blades...

"Aw shi...shhhhhii...sshhhhhh..." Jim tried to curse, yet all he managed to do was to stutter and gargle as if he was having a seizure.

"Well, at least we now know that Sarah's still around and that her no-cursing-policy is still in effect." Joseph mused. "Hmm, maybe we should touch the crystal and see what's happOUCH!" He was about to touch the crystal when suddenly a black and scaly appendage came around and slapped him on his hand. Hard.

"Do not interfere with her Majesty's...whatever she's doing." Izsha explained. "And stop touching things. Any things. At all." Further back stood Sirella. She was too scared to come closer, yet at the same time she didn't want to be alone. Which was completely understandable. Even though Jim was worried about his family, he still noticed that they were one man short. Or two, to be more precise. But he was pretty certain that Tesson was currently having the time of his life.

"Hey, where's the Professor?" he wanted to know.

"Left him in the cafeteria." Joseph replied before he reached out with his hand once more, only for it to be slapped away by Izsha yet again.

"No."

"But I just want to touch it!"

"You will not touch the crystal, Joseph."

"Not even a tiny bit?"

"Not even a tiny bit." Izsha confirmed.

"Could you two please zip it?!" Jim barked. While he usually didn't care much about their weird relationship, except for the fact that he didn't want to know any details, he just wanted them to be quiet right now. This was about his family and as long as he didn't know what was going on, he reserved the right to freak out at any given time to himself. Old and ancient memories started to reemerge. Like when Sarah had returned to him after defeating Amon. How they had struggled to put her mind back together, how it had nearly destroyed both of them. All Jim could do was to hope that something like that wasn't happening right now. Sarah had always told him that Paula was easily as powerful as she was, and he had always feared that she too might one day experience something like her mother had. His wife had always reassured him that the chances for that would be strictly theoretical since unlike Sarah, Paula's mind had never been torn apart and reassembled several times over. She had been allowed to grow and mature on her own.

That didn't mean that Jim wasn't worried. It's not something he could just switch off.

"Sarah, what is this?" he whispered, hoping for an answer from her inside her mind. But this time Sarah remained silent. Sadly, the same couldn't be said about the other ones.

"Maybe we should get back up?" Sirella whined in the background.

"No. We shall stay here and guard her Majesty and Paula." Izsha replied.

"Maybe we should touch the crystal." Joseph mused.

"We already had this argument, Joseph. You will not touch the crystal. We do not know what is inside." When Jim heard that, his eyes widened. Of course!

"You might not." he explained before he made a step forward. "But I do." And so he touched the crystal, closed his eyes...

"Uhm...Jim?" Joseph asked after a while yet the other man didn't answer. Joseph pushed Jim a bit. No reaction. "He touched the crystal."

"I noticed." Izsha replied.

"Can I now touch the crystal too?"

"No."

"You never let me do something fun anymore..." Joseph whispered.

"What was that?" his favorite (and strange) lady replied.

"Nothin'!"

* * *

Jim was a simple man, with simple hopes and dreams. He had learned a long time ago that those dreams were usually the ones that were the hardest to realize. But even though he was a man of simple hopes and dreams, he was no simpleton. He had spent the ages well to learn new concepts, to understand how this universe was working. If you live a life as long as he had, then you either grow very bored, very evil, or _adequately_ smart.

Most of the time he didn't even really feel the ages resting upon his shoulders. And he had stopped wondering if living beyond the age of a mortal man was something that should be allowed to happen. It was just the way things were, end of story.

So yeah, he had done his best to pull his weight those last couple of...centuries. Geez, now that he thought about it, it felt weird. Yes, the work-load between him and Sarah was pretty clear. She was doing all the heavy lifting while he was...doing everything else. Perhaps it was the proof that the universe did indeed have a sense of humor that Jim was still as psionically gifted as a brick, even though he was connected to the most powerful psionic being ever to exist. Jim liked to think that he was the anchor that kept Sarah grounded. She sure liked to tell that to him, and he had chosen to believe her.

You don't stick around a guy for over 1000 years if you don't like him.

For a man of his age, Jim usually knew how to keep his calm. And if you have lived as long as he had, there's almost nothing that can scare you anymore.

Unless you are James Raynor and your kid is in danger, in that case he will simply freak out, no matter when, where, and who is involved.

Paula was his only child. And unlike Sarah, he knew what it was like to lose a child. So while he tried his best to not be an overprotective monster-dad, he just couldn't hide his worries whenever Paula was doing something reckless and stupid. There was some irony involved, given the fact that he had caused his parents nothing but headaches when he had been a child, and later on a young man.

Jim felt an unpleasant sense of vertigo when his mind entered the Ihan crystal. One that he had felt before, mind you. But it had happened so long ago that he had almost forgotten about it.

Living such a long life had changed Jim's mind. No other human had ever experienced anything like that, no other than him, Sarah and, well, Joseph. Protoss were used to live for hundreds of years, and their brains were huge. So they could remember all so much more than a human, even with their longer lifespan. The trick was to only keep those memories that truly mattered. He couldn't remember all the names of the people that had fought at his side during the Great War, except the ones that had been really important to him. And he couldn't remember just how many worlds he had visited by now.

He _could_ , however, remember every birthday of Paula.

Every time Sarah had fallen asleep inside his arms.

Every time Joseph had proudly presented another one of his daughters to them.

And no, Jim couldn't name them all.

So when his mind was confronted with the inner workings of the Ihan crystal, he was actually surprised when he realized that he knew exactly what was about to happen next.

The only problem was that while he knew what was about to happen, he could no longer really remember how it was going to happen. So, when he opened his eyes and suddenly realized that he was standing up to the ankles in creep while there was a goddamn Hydralisk right in front of him, he knew that he was in deep trouble.

"Oh shoot."

* * *

Bleak. That was perhaps the best way to describe this place. Bleak and hopeless.

"Oh my gosh..." Paula whispered as she walked through the grass. She didn't even try to hide her uneasiness. Next to her, Sarah didn't seem to be fazed by anything she was currently seeing.

"You've been to Aiur before." Paula's mother mused. "Why are you so shocked?" They had decided to move on. Seeing herself as the Queen of Blades had been not very pleasant, so Sarah had been relieved when her child had decided to push forward to see what else had been left behind by Zeratul when he had stored his memory inside the crystal.

"Yeah, but it looks so different!" Paula mumbled. "It sounds different too. As if this whole place is..."

"Dead?" Sarah offered, which caused her daughter to nod. In front of them was none other than Zeratul himself. Or at least his memory. Sarah knew this memory only from Jim, who had told her about the Ihan crystal many times, and what he had seen inside it. From time to time the dark vision that lay further ahead even fueled his rare nightmares. Even though she didn't like this place, Sarah realized that this was a unique opportunity. Besides, even though she didn't really agree with her daughter's plan, or the promise she had given to a certain someone, she would not take this away from Paula.

"...yes." the younger Kerrigan replied. "Was Aiur really like this when the Swarm attacked?" Sarah shrugged her shoulders when she heard that question.

"Dunno. Actually, I've never been to Aiur myself. You have to ask your father about that. Maybe Karax can answer that question too." Aiur was a beautiful world. Lush, with dense and near-endless rain-forests. It was brimming with bio-mass, one of the reasons why the Zerg had been able to multiply like crazy. To them, Aiur had been an all-you-can-eat-buffet.

As they were following Zeratul, Sarah wasn't really paying attention to their surroundings. Even though it felt surprisingly real, even down to the smell, she knew that it was just a construct with a crystal. To anyone who didn't possess her abilities, this place probably looked and felt like the real deal.

"Just look at those ruins. Man, this place looks so scary..." Paula whispered. She was so preoccupied with staring at the landscape that she didn't even realize when the ground beneath them started to change. Not until...

"Gha! Oh, gross! What is that?!" she yelled and looked around. Without noticing it she had stepped into something cold, wet and slimy. "Is that creep?!"

"Come on, don't be such a baby." Sarah chuckled as she simply moved on. "You know creep."

"Yeah, but warm creep. This stuff is cold!" However, Paula still decided to follow her mother. And Zeratul. "Uh...I'm not going to like this, am I? Is this one of those huge battles Dad always tells me about? Am I about to see countless dead? Didn't we skip a memory?"

"I want to check something out." Sarah explained. "Your father told me about this place many times. You wanted to find this crystal, you wanted to find this place. Now it is only fair that I show you something memorable."

"I'm not gonna like it, am I?"

"Probably not. I want you to meet someone who had a big impact on me when I was younger. But hey, relax: The bastard is long dead."

"Bastard?" Paula mumbled. "Who are you talking about?"

"Just wait and see." And so Paula did as she was told, which was quite the feat for her. Eventually, Zeratul and her mother parted ways, however, and Paula hesitated for a moment.

"But...shouldn't we, like, follow him?"

"He won't be going nowhere. I want to show you something, but first we need to get someone else. Someone who actually might end up hurting himself by accident."

"But-" Paula tried to protest.

"Don't worry, I won't make you break your promise. Even though I wish you hadn't..." Sarah growled, more annoyed than actually angry. Still, Paula wanted to be certain about that.

"Are you...angry?"

"Slightly." her mother confirmed her suspicions. "Mostly annoyed though. I would like to tell you to just ditch that promise, but I'm afraid that you come after your father in that regard and you just won't listen to me anyway. So even though I'm not happy about it, I won't ruin this for you either." That's when Sarah stopped and looked her daughter into the eyes. "However, I want to make this unequivocally clear: I'm not going to help you with your plan. And I'm not going to tell the others either. They will be worried like crazy, especially your father. But you will have to explain it to them."

"...o-okay." Paula mumbled. Instead of offering her usual warm smile to her daughter, Sarah just shook her head, sighed, and moved on. "Still, of all the people in the galaxy, you had to make a promise to _him_? Ugh...to think that he would ask something like that of you..."

"Actually..." her daughter said quietly, which caused Sarah to stop again and stare at her daughter in disbelief.

"Don't tell me you suggested it to him." Yet she received no answer, which was all the answer she needed. "Oh no, you suggested it to him, didn't you? And he accepted that? Just like that?!" Again no answer. "Paula..."

"Well..."

"Paula Izsha Kerrigan, out with it!"

"...I...may have not received an answer at all." Paula admitted.

"She's your child, Jim." Sarah growled and simply moved on.

"That's a good thing, right?" her daughter chuckled but received no answer. With Zeratul gone, all Paula could do was to follow her mother. And while this place was in fact just a memory, she still made sure to stay as close to Sarah as possible. Given her unique upbringing and her family background, it seemed surprising that Paula acted highly uncomfortable as they walked through the mental image of a Zerg-hive.

"What's the matter?" Sarah asked. "You know what a hive looks like. If I remember correctly, then you even had creepball-fights with Niadra." Well, since it wasn't snowing on their homeworld, they had to come up with other means to do ridiculous things.

"That was different..." Paula mumbled and slung her arms around that of her mother, making sure to stay as close as possible. "This place...looks like a scene from a horror movie." Indeed it was. The twilight of the night was further enhanced by thick rain clouds hanging in the sky, only to be interrupted by flashes of lightning illuminating the landscape every now and then, creating a ghostly image for the fraction of seconds. The ruins that made most of their surroundings were bad enough. This place looked as if it had abandoned centuries ago. But the fact that there was creep everywhere made it even worse. Strangely enough they didn't see any Zerg. At least at first. When they spotted them, Paula had a hard time making them out in the distance.

"Are those...is that...are they...?"

"Overlords, yes. Boy, I forgot how ugly they were." Sarah sighed. They were indeed overlords. Many of them. They were floating within a huge crevice, seemingly taking refuge from the thunder. Which seemed odd.

"Are they hiding?" Paula wanted to know.

"They float by storing gas inside their bodies that is lighter than air." Sarah explained. "Hydrogen mostly. You know what happens if a hydrogen-filled balloon is hit by a bolt of lightning? It ain't pretty, trust me."

"I had no idea..." her daughter whispered.

"How could you? I forbade Niadra to grow overlords so her brood wouldn't grow too big."

"And because they poop creep everywhere, right?" When Sarah heard that, she sighed once more.

"Yes, and because they poop creep everywhere." Which could ruin every beach.

"So, what did you want to show me?" Paula mumbled after a while.

"History."

Like said: Paula knew how a Zerg-hive looked like. But somehow this place looked downright...

"...evil." the young woman whispered.

"What did you say?" her mother wanted to know.

"This place. It looks...evil." Paula explained. Instead of laughing or telling her daughter that she was imagining things, Sarah stopped and looked around. There, in the distance, she could make out some more Zerg; Hydralisks and Zerglings, heading out, probably on their way to kill Protoss.

Paula had seen Zerg. And she had seen Protoss. But she had never actually watched how Protoss and Zerg were beating the living hell out of each other. At least not here, during her time. Her journey to the past didn't really matter since she had arrived there long after the final battle between Amon and the (mostly) united Koprulu Sector. Paula had only heard stories about the Great War, and how the three species had waged war upon each other in numbers that people can't even imagine anymore. That didn't mean that this time was free of violent conflicts. But the Great War had been the biggest martial conflict known to man, Protoss and Zerg.

Perhaps the biggest difference was that the Zerg that Paula saw right now weren't a species of sentient beings that balanced both individuality and a swarm-intelligence at the same time, but the most formidable weapon in all of history; a gigantic killing machine, made out of countless claws and teeth.

And Hydralisks. Boy, were there many Hydralisks!

Nowadays there weren't any Hydralisks anymore. Paula didn't really know why, perhaps they had just reached their usefulness a long time ago. The young Kerrigan had never truly understood why her father had always told her about those horrible Hydralisks since there were a lot of scary creatures among the Swarm. But she had to admit; now that she saw them in this place, Paula could see why people had feared them more than other members of the Swarm.

They were horrendous!

Paula's mother didn't seem to share her sentiments. As they approached a group of mentioned Hydralisks, the older Kerrigan hummed something.

"Don't tell your dad, but this makes me feel a bit nostalgic." Sarah sighed.

"Oh, you can count on me not telling Dad. He would freak out." Paula muttered.

"Meh, he's freaking out as we speak. Doesn't take much to make him do that nowadays. He used to be much more relaxed. If you ask me, then he's too focused on all of his art."

"But...didn't you tell him that you loved his art?"

"Yeah. But your father has an unhealthy habit of overdoing things. Ride a horse until it's dead, and then ride it some more, just because he can." Sarah explained.

"I hear this from the first time..." Paula whispered. "So you and Dad...argued?"

"Hahahaha!" Sarah suddenly burst out in laughter. "Oh, my dear daughter, is that concern I hear in your voice? Worried that your parents are not talking to each other?"

"Maybe?" Paula's honesty was refreshing. And so Sarah sighed and stopped before she looked her daughter straight into the eyes.

"I must admit that I don't like that little plan of yours. Nor do I like the fact that you made a promise to _that guy._ Seriously, from all the people in this galaxy that have been a pain in my...foot, he was the biggest one." Sarah mused.

"Even bigger than Mengsk?" Paula asked. Instead of receiving an answer, all that Sarah did was to produce an annoyed growl. She then took a deep breath and shook her head.

"All that time, I think it has done something to the others. They don't see the beauty of the world right in front of them anymore." Sarah explained. "I tried to tell them but they just won't listen. They are circling around me like I'm the sun and they are planets. And quite frankly? It's getting annoying."

"So that's why you are going to help me?" Paula wanted to know, which earned her an arrogant smirk of her mother.

"I'm not helping you. I'm just gonna let you off the hook. Those are two different things." her mother corrected her. "Also, I expect something in return."

"And what would that be?"

"Make your father sweat." Sarah declared. "Speaking of which." She then raised her hand and signaled Paula to be quiet. The younger Kerrigan frowned and was about to ask what her mother was trying to tell her until-

"...aarraaaaaaahhhh!" you could hear the faint voice of a man in the distance.

"Is that...Dad?" Paula gasped. And that's when she saw him. From their positions, they could overlook the nearby hive. And in the distance you could actually see a small figure running past a bunch of, you guessed it, Hydralisks.

"Amazing, isn't it?" Sarah sighed. "He should know that this is not reality. I mean, he saw all of this before. Either your father is getting senile or he really has lost his edge." Both women looked at Jim running around like a headless chicken for a while until Paula started to feel bad.

"Shouldn't we, I don't know, help him?"

"Why? None of this is real." her mother replied. "He will be fine. Come on, there's something I want to show you first." And so Sarah turned around and walked into the other direction while her illustrious knight in shining armor was having one panic attack after the other. It was the moment where Paula wondered herself if her mother was actually angry at her father.

The answer to Paula's question was: No. Sarah wasn't angry at Jim. Annoyed, yes. But not angry. As the two Kerrigans moved on, Paula did her best to stay as close to her mother as possible. Yeah, she knew that none of this was real. It didn't change the fact that it was scary as hell though.

"I'm so glad these things aren't around anymore..." Paula muttered as another Hydralisk slithered past them.

"Who knows, maybe there are still some of 'em around." her mother replied.

"But you told Niadra to not breed any Hydralisks anymore as well. Why?"

"Eh', mostly because of your father. Back in the day, it was hard enough for him to have Zerg as neighbors. But the very idea that there were Hydralisks among them was enough to make him freak out all the time. And, you know, with me being pregnant and all, he was just scared that something bad would happen, like Niadra losing control over her brood or anything like that." Sarah explained. "So I urged her to keep her brood small and well-mannered."

"Huh..." Paula wondered. "...Zerglings are still a thing. I know that the Swarm still uses them."

"Oh really? And how do you know that, hmm? Paula, have you been to a world ruled by Zerg?" her mother cooed and the young woman blushed hard when she realized that she was about to talk herself into a very dangerous situation. While Sarah had no problems with visiting a world swarming with Zerg, she knew that something like that would drive Jim up the wall.

Then again, he was absolutely fine with the fact that his daughter was visiting worlds inhabited by Protoss almost on a daily basis.

"I...uhm...Izsha told me?" Paula mumbled. It was the most pitiful excuse in the history of lame excuses and there was no doubt that her mother saw right through it. Yet all Sarah did was to smile.

"Well, I guess I have to talk with Izsha then." Sarah teased her child. "Tell her to not put any weird ideas in your head. At least no _additional_ weird ideas. Perhaps I have to punish Izsha for that..." None of that was true. Besides, the days where Sarah could even dream about punishing Izsha were long gone. If anything than her closest friend would probably just use this opportunity to whip the former Queen of Blades into proper shape. For all of Izsha's words of wisdom (and denial), a part of Sarah was still not sure wherever her friend didn't want to restore the Swarm to its former glory again.

"Uh...on second thought..." Sarah's daughter whispered when she realized that her words might lead to problems for Izsha. Sarah stopped and looked into her daughter's eyes.

"Yes? Is there something you want to tell me? Hmm?" Like, for example, that Paula hadn't heard about Zerglings being still a thing from Izsha, but had seen it with her own two eyes when she had visited those Zerg-worlds herself.

"...It wasn't Auntie Izsha..." the young woman admitted

, only to come up with another lame excuse. "...it was Uncle Joe?"

"BWAHAHAHAHAHA!" Sarah burst out in laughter when she heard that. In the distance you could hear the screams of none other than James Raynor, running for his dear life. "Oh, that's what I love about you and your father, Paula. The two of you are the worst liars of all time. Come on, we are close."

"Close to what?" a confused Paula replied yet her mother didn't answer that question. They climbed a small cliff that was covered with creep. Though something was wrong about this specific creep. At first Paula didn't realize what it was. But then it dawned on her...

Creep, real creep, was less disgusting than most people think. It is a living organism. And, like every living organism, it needs to be treated in a very specific way. Setting it on fire, bomb it or rolling with a tank over it usually leads to injuries, which in return make the creep react violently by spilling secretions. That's when things get slimy. Healthy and uninjured creep was actually some good fun. It was like walking on warm rubber.

But, as already mentioned, creep was a living organism. And what happens if you don't treat an organism right?

It gets sick.

"What the...?" Paula whispered when her foot touched the creep beneath her. There was a squishy sound and some slime blubbered around her shoe. The creep itself looked pale. And...sick.

"I'd strongly suggest that you won't use creep that looks like this for creepball-fights." Sarah explained when she noticed her daughter's confusion.

"What is wrong with it?"

"It's sick."

"Sick?" Paula wondered. "How can creep be sick? A poison?"

"Sepsis." Sarah told her as she approached a nearby cliff. "Caused by necrosis." And when she reached the cliff, she looked at something in the distance and her mood suddenly turned sour.

"Must be something huge to cause creep to react like this." her daughter mused.

"If you want to see the one who caused it: There it is." Sarah replied and pointed at some weird formation on the other side of the cliff. Paula turned her attention away from the creep towards the thing in the distance. She squinted her eyes and tried to spot the cause of the creep's demise, yet she couldn't make out whatever her mother was pointing at.

"I can't see it, is it hiding inside that mountain?"

"That is no mountain, Paula." was all Sarah replied. And only then Paula realized that the thing on the other side of the cliff was indeed not a mountain.

"What..." she whispered as her eyes widened in shock and disbelief. "...is that?"

"That, my dearest daughter..." Sarah sighed. "...is the Overmind."

* * *

"Be honest: Is anyone else bored by this?" Joseph asked as he leaned against the wall, his arms crossed in front of his chest.

"No." Izsha replied truthfully.

"We've been staring at them for what now? Three hours? Come on! Can I at least touch the crystal? I want to know what's going on in there too!"

"Joseph, what did I tell you about touching things that are not yours or glow?" Izsha wanted to know and looked over her shoulder, which caused Joseph to look away in embarrassment.

"Not to touch them." the sickly-looking man replied. But that wasn't enough for Izsha.

"And?" she asked.

"And...not lick it."

"Good. Now keep watching. We might intervene should the situation arise." Sarah's closest friend declared. It wasn't exactly what Joseph wanted to hear though.

"I think they're fine. Look at them. One big happy family." Joseph explained. Sarah, Jim and Paula were all touching the Ihan crystal. Aside from that, they weren't doing anything though. It was as if they were frozen in time. They were breathing, but that was pretty much all they did. Well, aside from drooling and twitching from time to time. At least that was what Paula and Jim were doing. "I really don't see why we have to look after them. Sarah probably got this anyway. I mean, what can we do out here anyway?"

"Be supportive." came Izsha's answer.

"Lady, we are talking about Sarah here. Wherever we stand here and stare at her and her drooling family or some squidfish farts in the sea, it will probably make no difference."

"If you do not want to stay, then you can leave." Izsha simply declared, which caused her unlikely spouse to sigh. She looked at him and frowned, realizing that he wanted to get something off his chest. "What is it?" When Joseph heard Izsha's question, he seemed to struggle to find the right answer.

"It's just...don't you want to check this thing out? You know, just you and me? Like in old times? Some quality-time?" The tone in Joseph's voice was almost pleading.

"I will not have sex with you in this place, Joseph." was Izsha's serious reply.

"That...ugh...that was not what I was trying to say." Joseph groaned. There was some frustration in his voice. "It's just...we haven't done anything together in quite some time. You know, stuff."

"Stuff?"

"Yeah, stuff! Like, I don't know...remember when I helped you finding material for the Zerg-exhibit on Earth? Or when we rewrote the historical documents in the archives on Korhal to make the Zerg look like the true heroes of the Great War?"

"You did what?!" a new voice suddenly interrupted them. Both Izsha and Joseph turned their heads around and looked at Sirella, who they had completely forgotten about.

"Whatever this man has just said..." Izsha simply explained. "...don't listen to any of it."

Right...

" _This man_. Ain't that just sweet..." Joseph griped, which earned him the attention of Izsha once more.

"What was that?" she asked him.

"Nothing." he sighed and dropped his shoulders. "Listen, Izsha, all I want to say: Once this is over, maybe you and I can do something together? Something fun? And maybe something that involves our daughters?"

"Why?" Izsha wanted to know.

"Because your daughters miss you? Because you are hardly around anymore? Because they learned so many new things! Because they are a huge help, not just to me, but to Karax too."

"As it should be." was Izsha's only reply. Joseph actually clenched his hands into fists as he was forcing himself to keep his composure.

"Our youngest daughter hasn't even seen you ever since she hatched. She hardly remembers how you look!" he protested.

"Our daughters maintain their very own collective mind. They all share their memories. Therefore Sarah Number 479-"

"Dolores. Her name is Dolores." Joseph corrected her.

"...is not required to see me in order to know how I look like." Izsha completed her sentence without even missing a heartbeat. Only then she seemed to notice Joseph's anger. "Is something the matter? Are you in pain?"

"What would you know about that, huh?" he whispered before he turned around and simply stomped away. "Better go look after the Prof. Don't want him to die of _heart failure_ all of the sudden." The way he pronounced _heart failure_ left no doubts about who he was actually referring to. Unfortunately, if there was one thing that Izsha had always sucked at, then it was subtle accusations.

"A sound move. We wouldn't want to burden her Majesty with such a situation." was all Izsha said. For a second it seemed as if Joseph was about to say something, but then he just growled something that couldn't even be called "language" and was on his way. Izsha made no effort to follow him. Instead, she simply decided to watch over Sarah, Jim and Paula.

Sirella watched all of it but didn't dare to say anything or get involved. Still, being all alone with Izsha right now proved to be highly unnerving.

"Pssst..." she suddenly heard something behind her. When she didn't react...

"Pssst...Sirella..." She looked over her shoulder and could see how something vanished in a nearby corridor. Someone was hiding in the darkness. For the fraction of a second she feared that it was another tentacle-monster with teeth for eyes or something like that. But she was relieved she noticed a human hand waving at her from the darkness.

Sirella looked at Izsha, who was still completely focused on Sarah and her family.

"Pssst, Sirella! Over here..." That voice...sounded like Paula's? How was that even possible? Sirella looked back at the three people holding the Ihan crystal. There was no doubt about it, Paula was still standing over there. But how...?

"I...uhm..." Unsure of what to do next, Sirella did the most reasonable thing. She hesitated.

"Is something the matter, Sirella?" Izsha then suddenly asked as she turned her attention towards the young Protoss.

"N-no!" Sirella gasped. "Everything's fine, there's just...I think I saw someone over there and-"

"If you want to leave and follow Joseph, feel free to do so." Izsha interrupted her. "You don't have to make up stories." At first Sirella felt the urge to protest, but then she realized that the figure in the darkness was still beckoning her to come closer. Oh, she was so going to regret this...

"O-okay. I think...I'll do that." Sirella mumbled and walked towards the corridor where the dark figure was waiting for her.

"Joseph went that way." Izsha informed her and pointed in the other direction.

"I, uhm, I want to take the scenic route." Lamest. Excuse. Ever.

"Very well." Izsha merely replied. "Don't get lost."

Sirella was too perplexed by the fact that Izsha was actually not suspicious at all to notice that the figure that had been waiting in the shadows was still waiting for her right around the corner. And by the fact that the figure was actually Kerrigan.

Only not Paula...

"How...what...huh?!" Sirella gasped as she looked down at Sarah Kerrigan.

"Sirella, a word please?" Paula's mother cooed. Instead of answering that question, Sirella leaned back and looked around the corner, only to spot Sarah in the distance, still holding the crystal alongside her family. She looked back at Sarah right in front of her, then at the one in the distance, and then at the one in front of her once more before-

"Is something the matter?" Izsha asked when she noticed that Sirella was still not gone.

"I...no. Everything is...I don't even know anymore." That's when the Sarah right in front of her, the one hidden from Izsha's sight, smiled and gestured the young Protoss to come closer.

"Come on, I would like to ask a favor of you." Sarah explained. With nothing else to do, Sirella simply decided to follow her. And when they were finally out of Izsha's sight, she asked the one question that mattered most.

"How...how can you be at two places at once?!"

"Whadda'ya mean?" Sarah Kerrigan asked. "I'm a woman, I can multi-task." Before Sirella could ask if Sarah was actually serious about that, the redhead simply continued to talk to the young Protoss. "Sirella, I would like to ask a favor of you, if that's okay."

"Does it involve scary stuff?" the young Protoss wanted to know.

"No. Don't worry, it's nothing scary. On the contrary, I just want to make sure that nothing else will go wrong." Sarah explained. "I just would like you to get the Professor and take him back to the camp with the others waiting topside. Just tell them that there are monsters down here, that should scare them off."

"There _are_ monsters down here!" Sirella whined.

"All the more better, that means you don't have to lie to them." Sarah replied. Right now she sounded exactly like Paula...

"O-okay. If that means that I get out of here."

"That's the spirit, girl!" the redhead replied and grinned like an idiot. "Just don't waste too much time please. I want to get this over with quickly." Oh, that didn't sound good.

"Why? Are you planning on doing something?" the Protoss wanted to know.

"You could say that. Here's a tip: If you don't know how to solve a problem in a civilized manner, just escalate the situation until one side yields." Sarah explained.

"And if no side yields?" When Sirella asked that question, a downright vicious grin appeared on Sarah's face.

"Oh, that's when things get interesting!"

* * *

Pain. So much pain. Right now it was worse than usual. It had been able to ignore most of the pain when it had slept, when it had dreamed of better days. At least it believed that. In its dreams, it could remember things. Names. Places. Faces.

A man. Highly decorated. A trusted friend to someone. Gerard...

...an impossible mission. A traitor among them. An insane plan, suggested by a madman. Duran...

No, not Duran. Narud...

Pain. And then betrayal. Followed by even more pain. And then...the sweet release of death.

After that...nothing.

Until suddenly...

...alive again. The pain returned. This time it stayed. The own body, used for experiments. Mutated. Changed. _Mutilated_. No man. No Zerg. Something in between.

A monster...

And a name. As it roared out in pain and stumbled through the dark corridors of its own grave, it could the name over and over again inside its mind.

Stukov. Stukov. Stukov. Stukov. Stukov. Stukov.

What did it mean?

Who was Stukov?

"GHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" the creature roared, producing an inhuman scream. So loud, so many thoughts, all of them causing it horrible pain. It remembered. Remembered the past of when it had been something different, something better. A being. A human. No. These memories were too painful. It wanted to get rid of them. It wanted to go back to sleep, to be free of all that pain!

The creature formerly known as Alexei Stukov tumbled through the darkness until it couldn't take the pain anymore and smashed its head against a nearby wall. And again. And again. Over and over again it hurt itself. It just wanted the memories to vanish and with it the pain of what it had lost. Blood poured out of countless openings, yet the pain of those wounds was nothing when compared to the torment its mutilated soul was experiencing.

And so-

"THERE YOU ARE!" The creature turned around and spotted the one responsible for all the wounds on its body. "WE ARE NOT DONE YET!" Tesson roared. "GET OVER HERE!" But instead of waiting, the huge Protoss simply stormed forward and straight toward the much larger monstrosity.

"The paaaaaaaiiiiiin...!" the creature screamed.

"Oh, I'm going to show you some pain!" Tesson roared and smashed into the creature. He wasn't using any weapon. No psi-blade. Not even a shield generator to protect himself. And he wasn't subtle either. He simply grabbed one of the creature's tentacles and turned his other hand into a fist before punching the fleshy surface of its body over and over again. Within moments the two of them were tumbling over the dusty and dirty floor, caught in a deadly brawl. The creature was fighting for its dear life. Yet Tesson...

"Haha! Is that all you got? Come on, my dead grandmother hits harder than you!" The creature tried to fight back but Tesson managed to shake off its punches with ease. There was no finesse to his fighting. It was nothing but a brutal brawl, and he was using his raw strength to wrestle that which once had been Stukov to the ground. When Tesson was on top, he punched the creature so hard that it would have killed any ordinary foe. Good thing that his foe was anything but ordinary. That meant that he didn't have to hold back.

Oh, how awesome was that!

"THIS IS WAY BETTER THAN BEATING UP HUMANS!" Tesson screamed in joy.


	22. Chapter 22

**Well, these are awkward times. Now that we have to deal with Corona, I realized just how many stories, movies and games use viruses as plot-devices. Not only Starcraft but pretty much, well, everything. I must admit that it's somewhat weird to play a game like The Division right now. Anyway, I do hope that all of you are doing okay. Let's entertain you a bit with another chapter.**

 **Since there will be a lot of Stukov in this chapter, I'd like to point out that I actually don't like the character. I don't hate him either. It's just...I don't know, he offers nothing that makes him intruiging. At least for me. But I do understand that he's a fan-favorite. Like Dehake, some character I also don't really care about. Well, let's see if there will be a happy end for this old space-Russian. This chapter contains a flashback about Stukov's life back on Earth. Since there isn't any source-material (or at least nothing that I could find) this is just my version of the story.**

 **Take care**

* * *

 **Chapter 22**

 **The Choices we make**

* * *

Silence. It was the only thing it craved. Silence, and the sweet embrace of nothingness. Down here, forgotten by everyone and everything, it could rest, trapped between lucidity and madness. It was the only way to bare its current form of existence.

If it was awake, then the pain of its own body mutating, shifting and tearing itself apart over and over again was enough to drive anyone mad. And if it was asleep, then it would dream. Horrible dreams. Not of death and destruction, though those dreams were also present. No, the worst dreams were the pleasant ones. Dreams of a better past.

Of Earth. Its blue sky. Its endless oceans. The green grass. Soft hills.

 _You can't go home again..._ her voice echoed through its mind, reminding him of his place in this universe. Once they had looked up to it. To him. His men. But even then, it had been a life of servitude. He had been the lapdog of a faceless power. And yet, even though this power had vanished so long ago, he still missed it. Missed them. To see it all once more with his own eyes...

 _I have no place on Earth now..._

Had those been his own words? He couldn't tell. Remembering was hard. His mind was like a fog. There were familiar shapes and forms, but nothing that made any sense.

He remembered...a woman.

Pretty. Kind. Resolute. The kind of woman that wouldn't take no for an answer, who would stand her ground and not let anyone tell her what to say or think. A wife. _His_ wife.

These memories brought him nothing but pain. Aside from certain fragments he couldn't remember anything. Not even her name.

He couldn't even remember the name of the woman he had loved!

Children. Four beautiful children. Their faces...sometimes felt as if he could almost remember them. But it would always slip away, like a faint smell that you have smelled once but can't tell where. Or when. It was these memories that drove him insane when he was dreaming. Not the painful ones, but the pleasant ones. Because if he would wake up, the reality would teach him a harsh lesson.

They were gone. He was not.

Perhaps this pain was even worse than the physical one. And so, neither being awake nor asleep was an option. He had found some peace in nothingness, trapped between those two states. Not being awake and not being asleep. This was his existence now. In a way, it was like being undead. Not alive and not dead either. He couldn't really remember why he had ended up in this place. Had it been out of his own volition? Or had he been forced to do this?

He knew that no one had bothered him here for years. Decades. Centuries. So long, in fact, that he hadn't been awake or dreamed for ages. He had almost been...at peace.

And then _she_ had returned...

Her arrival had been like a jolt running through his entire being. It had felt as if every cell inside his body had been invigorated by her having finally found him. The Zerg inside of him, ancient and hopelessly outdated, had recognized her immediately. And it had caused his body to regenerate. Against his will. Muscles, almost completely rotten, had become strong again. A heart, which hadn't pumped any blood in decades, had started to beat once more, only to pump the pain through his mangled body. There was a battle going on inside of him, both within his body and his mind. The fight within his mangled corpse was one of life versus death. And much to his dismay life was winning. He yearned to be human again. Not because the human existence was superior but because he would have perished a long time ago, and then the pain would have stopped. And the dreams and nightmares. He could be at peace.

Instead, the Zerg within his cells refused to just die. Cracked bones became strong again. Torn muscles regenerated. He had no chance to fight this. This body wasn't his own anymore.

Even worse than losing the battle of the flesh was to lose the battle of the mind. Suddenly his worst nightmares became reality. Now he was awake, which meant that he felt every agonizing moment of his own un-life. And he could remember. He remembered what he had lost. His family. His friends. His home. He had tried to avoid being awake and dreaming. Now he was both awake and couldn't stop these memories to haunt him, harass him, torment him.

It was enough to drive him mad with rage.

And all because of _her_ return...

He didn't know why she had come here. But he knew that asking was pointless. She took whatever she wanted to. She was a queen after all, and queens don't have to ask for permission. At all.

It had all gone downhill from there. Nothing made sense anymore. At first she had been alone. Oh yes, there had been others with her, but they hadn't been any threat. Even that Protoss. But then things had become erratic. Suddenly it had felt as if Kerrigan had been all over the place. As if there was more than one...

...but how was that possible?

Whatever the reason, he would not submit to her. Not anymore. Maybe she had no use for him. Maybe she had come here to finally end him. To cut old ties? If so, then she would be the one to finally end his dreadful existence for good.

Yes...

Yes!

If he couldn't find the sweet release of death himself, then she had to do it. He wouldn't ask. No, he would simply force her hand. He remembered that she would not tolerate failure. Or disobedience. So all he had to do was to be spiteful. If you're suicidal, then that's probably the best plan you can come up with. And so, amidst all that pain and confusion, he had tried his best to find his demise by her hand. There was only one slight problem with that...

"The paaaaaiiiiinnn..." the creature formerly known as Stukov howled.

"OH, I'M GOING TO SHOW YOU SOME PAIN, BROTHER!" the Protoss roared before he smashed his fist right into the tormented soul's side. The sheer strength of that punch was enough to break some of his ribs, puncture several of his organs, and make him howl in pain. It was truly amazing. Even though pain had become his constant companion, the punches of this Protoss were even more painful than what he was used to. His many limbs came around, adorned with claws and needle-like fingers, ready to smash his assailant into the nearby wall and then tear him apart.

He did succeed in smashing the Protoss into the wall, but all his opponent did was to laugh, grab some of his malformed limbs, and rip them straight out of their sockets. Piercing screams of pain echoed emerged from his many mouths.

"AW, STOP WHINING!" the Protoss screamed. "YOU GOT PLENTY OF ARMS LEFT!"

Why had they come here? Why now? He was no longer hers to command. Hadn't he suffered enough? If death wasn't allowed to come to him, couldn't at least nirvana be his?

"SUCK ON THAT, UGLY!" the Protoss yelled before smashing his fist straight into Stukov's malformed visage. Blood sprayed. Bones broke. Teeth flew. Excruciating pain caused him to stumble backward when the sheer brute force of that hit cracked his skull and drove pieces of bone right through his pain. But since he was cursed with a body who would not die, the damage was horrible without being lethal. The strength behind the Protoss' hit was enough to make Stukov lose his balance, and his opponent was formidable enough to push on.

"AGGGGGHHHHH!" Another pained scream escaped Stukov's many throats as yet another punch hit him right into what had once been his chest. More bones broke and he was choking up blood and bile.

"Is that all?!" the Protoss howled. "IS THAT ALL?! I'M NOT IMPRESSED!" Every hit was like a train smashing into him. He tried to fight back but his opponent wasn't just strong, he was also freakishly fast. No matter how hard Stukov tried to fight back, he was just no match for this warrior.

 _You cannot stand up to him..._

That voice. He remembered it. A faint memory of someone he once had known and-

"Hey, no daydreaming!" the Protoss barked before he punched Stukov into the face once more. He scored another critical hit and as a result, the creature formerly known as Stukov howled in excruciating pain as his head was abused as a punching ball. And yet his body refused to let him die. This was, in the very sense of the word, hell.

 _It will always be like this, won't it?_

"GHAAAAAA!" Another scream escaped his throat when the Protoss continued his onslaught.

 _He says jump. And you ask how high and how far._

It all became a blur. A haze of pain and memories that were ripped out of context. He was throwing his claws around, trying to get hold of the Protoss. But his opponent proved to be formidable. Brutal and savage but formidable.

Another punch. And that's when he heard her voice again.

 _You said that you were done with this life. You said that you wanted to start anew._

Pain. Not just physical pain, but the pain of a soul tearing itself apart. Guilt. Shame. The knowledge of having done a colossal mistake and having to live with it.

"COME ON! FIGHT BACK, YOU STUPID THING!" the Protoss yelled and landed another crushing blow to the head. It was as if every hit was causing another fragmented memory to emerge. As if someone was beating his old self back into his soul.

 _What about us? What about your duty towards your family?_

Fam...ily?

"Hey! Head in the game, you bastard!" the Protoss barked before he smashed his fist into Stukov's face. Blood sprayed. Bones broke. His head flew to the side and the next thing he felt was how it made contact with the cold steel of the wall. And then-

* * *

"Hmmm..." Warm. The warm sun on his skin felt nice. The light that was falling through the windows was bright, yet at the same time gentle. It felt...right.

The light of the sun felt good. He felt like a plant but in a good way. A plant that had just received a healthy dose of sunlight and had been doused in water. And just like a plant hiding its roots in the soil, most of his body was covered by a thin sheet.

"How long are you going to just lie there?" A smile appeared on his face when he heard her voice. It had been late when he had arrived last night. So late that she hadn't bothered to stay awake. And when he had finally returned home, he too had yearned for some sleep. So their reunion had been a short one. His attempts to slip into their bed unnoticed had not worked, and his attempt to not draw her ire had been just as successful.

"You're late." she had told him.

"I know."

"The children waited all night for your return. You disappointed them." she stated coldly.

"I know." This time there was a lot of regret in his own voice.

"They even prepared a gift for you. To welcome you home." Yes, he had seen it.

"...I know." he mumbled.

"And the men that brought you here ruined the lawn."

"I...they did what?"

"Their boots. They ruined the lawn. You can fix it in the morning. Now sleep."

And with that the conversation had been over. He hadn't even tried to get closer to her. She would have kicked him out of the bed anyway. Even after all those years in service of the UED, there were still things even Alexei Stukov was afraid of. And one of those things was the woman he loved most. Even then sleep had come easily. The long journey, the time spent in cryo-sleep, the drills, all of that had taken its toll on him. He was not a young man anymore.

Still, when he woke up, he felt good. Fresh. Revitalized. Being on Earth always felt like a vacation.

"Get up. You can't just lie there the whole day." his wife berated him. Her voice sounded less cold than yesterday and slightly amused. "The children are gone; they are with my parents."

"All the more reason to stay in bed then. No one around that can ruin this moment and-" Before he could finish the sentence someone yanked the blanket away, exposing him to the surprisingly chilly air inside their shared bedroom.

"Get up, you goof!" his wife barked. "Breakfast is ready, and the coffee is getting cold. Don't make me call your mother." Ugh, the ultimate threat.

"Just five more minutes..." he mumbled, which earned him even more ire from his wife.

"My mother was right. Marrying a military man is more trouble than it's worth..." he could hear her growl before she left their bedroom for good. When he was certain that she was gone, Alexei Stukov rolled on his back and stared at the white ceiling.

"Welcome home I guess." he whispered. And that's when a grin appeared on his face. Oh, how he had missed this woman!

* * *

Breakfast. Some say it is the most important meal of the day, others skip it whenever they can. Frankly, Alexei could understand both sides. To him, breakfast depended on the quality of your surroundings. Whenever he had been on a deployment breakfast had been an ordeal. Get up, get dressed, get something into your belly as fast as possible. Sometimes even while under fire. The life of a soldier was a lot less glorious than those cheap holo-novels made people believe, and the same could be said about the meals. So yeah, he had skipped breakfast plenty of times in moments like these.

But that didn't mean that breakfast was always a nuisance. It could be pleasant. Especially if you share it with people you care about. Like family. To have everyone around you, enjoy the taste of fresh rolls and the smell of hot coffee...

Yes, the quality of breakfast depended on the quality of the people you shared it.

"Why are you smiling like an idiot?" his wife asked him. Only then Alexei noticed that he was grinning like a retard while holding a cup full of hot coffee in his hands.

"I was just thinking..." he mused.

"Pah. Must be some thoughts. About your little tin-soldiers polishing your boots, how they tell you "Yes, Sir!" and "Of course, Sir!" and "Thank you, Sir!" You miss them much?" Uh, someone was in a foul mood.

Alexei Stukov was what you would call a military-man to the very bone. But that didn't mean that he was a blockhead. Some of his comrades even argued that he would waste too much time on the finer things of life. Books, wine and (before he met his wife) women. Education, as his parents had used to tell them, was not a burden but a gift. And let's not forget that it was a book that had allowed him to meet this wonderful woman he called his wife in the first place. She had been impressed by the dashing young lieutenant sitting on a bench during a cold day in winter, too lost in thoughts while reading...

 _You don't remember the title, do you._

Alexei frowned when he heard that voice inside his mind. He looked at his wife, who was busy doing...something.

"Did you say something?" he asked.

"Oh, don't you try to switch the topic, Mister! You know damn well what I was talking about!" she snarled. He could hear the genuine frustration in her voice. And this time it wasn't the amused kind. She was angry. At him.

So, knowing that something was wrong, Alexei did the most reasonable thing, the thing men had always done in the centuries before and the millennia to come. He decided to make his ancestors proud by doing the age-tested thing called...

...beating around the bush.

"So, how are the children doing?"

Somewhere, in the afterlife (if that place existed) all men that ever had an argument with a woman were cheering on how Alexei was carrying on this ancient tradition. At the same time, all the women in the afterlife were groaning and cursing him for being just another blockhead.

"You would know if you had read all the letters and e-mails they kept sending you."

And that's how Alexei's sneaky plan ended the way how the plans of all men before him usually had ended: In utter defeat.

"I...uhm...was busy." he mumbled.

"Of course you were." she replied. His wife was washing the dish and had turned her back towards him. There was no need to do that herself. They got a dish-washer. Hell, they even got servants who could do that for them. Being a high-ranking officer within the UED-military had its perk. And with the power the military had over the government, a man of Alexei's rank was part of the socialite. His wife had never cared about that. She hadn't married him because of that back then, back when he had been a young and inexperienced lieutenant.

"Listen, I am sorry." Alexei said, trying to ease the tensions. "I can't tell you any details but they needed my expertise on some topics."

"Topics?" his wife asked without turning around. It was weird...as he was staring at her backside, he just couldn't remember her face all of the sudden...

 _You left them behind. So long ago. So how could you still remember her face?_

A frown appeared on his face. Her face?

"The general staff had some questions. About...the feasibility of some things."

"Things? What things?" Her question caused him to sigh.

"You know that I can't tell you. All you need to know is that all these questions were strictly academic in nature. There's no new deployment waiting for m-"

"STOP LYING TO ME!" his wife roared and smashed her hands on the sink. But even then, she wouldn't turn around.

"What...what?!" Alexei gasped. "What's the matter?" Just when his wife was about to turn around, a new voice reached his ears. A familiar one.

"Am I interrupting?"

Alexei looked over to the door. A man stood there, wearing the uniform of an admiral of the UED. He knew those insignia well. As well as the man who was wearing the uniform.

"Gerard?" Alexei asked, dumbfounded by his comrade's sudden appearance.

"Apologies for interrupting. I let myself in. I hope I didn't interrupt you in your-"

"No!" Alexei's wife interrupted the Admiral. "This isn't for my ears anyway. Am I right?"

"Darling..." Alexei muttered.

 _Darling? That's how you call her? But only because you can't even remember her name!_

"...whatever." she snarled and stomped out of the room without throwing another glance at her husband. Or Gerard. "Do me a favor..." she growled as she walked past the Admiral. "...do what you have come here to do. And then leave my home."

"It is good to see you too." Gerard chuckled. He waited until she was gone, and then he flashed a smile at his old friend. "I forgot how lively she can be. You are a blessed man, my old friend."

"Funny..." Alexei growled. "...right now, I feel as if I'm cursed. To what do I owe the pleasure, old friend?" Yes, Gerard DuGalle was one of his closest, maybe even _the_ closest friend Alexei had these days. Before the good Admiral could say anything, the sound of someone slamming a door shut echoed through the house.

"I remember that she had quite the temper. It is good to see that she hasn't changed at all, no?" Gerard teased Alexei.

"Spare me your sarcasm. She's mad because of you. You know how much she hates it when you come into our home. Especially like this." he said and pointed at Gerard, who decided to play the ignorant fool.

"Like this? What are you talking about? Is there dirt on my uniform?" the Admiral asked and looked down at himself. That was of course impossible. His uniform looked pristine.

"No. You came here to talk business." Alexei growled.

"Ah, yes. I suppose you are right about that." Gerard sighed and sat down next to his old friend without even asking for permission. Well, he wouldn't offer Gerard some coffee. And it was way too early for alcohol. Even though he could use a stiff drink right now. Usually, Alexei was always glad to spend some time with his old friend, talk about this and that. But not now. Not here.

Alexei Stukov had always prided himself on being a man who knew how to handle his priorities right. When he was at work, when he was wearing the uniform, then he was a soldier. The only thing that mattered then was the task at hand, the orders they gave him and the orders he was giving. But when he was at home, when he would take off the uniform, then he would be a husband and a father. "Bringing work back to home will only result in a short marriage, my son. Remember that." Those had been his father's words. It was one of the few lectures that he had truly embraced and tried to live after. That, and "always wash your hands after going to the bathroom".

"What do you want?" Alexei growled. Even though Gerard was his friend, he was in no mood for any of this right now. It made his whole "don't take your work back home"-policy useless. And the worst thing was that Gerard knew that.

Which meant...

"I wouldn't have come here if it weren't important, old friend." Gerard confirmed his suspicions.

"I was afraid you'd say that." the Vice-Admiral mumbled.

"I relayed your numbers to the general staff's office. Their reply was...interesting. To say the least."

"I thought we agreed that we would keep those numbers to ourselves. At least until the general staff had made up their minds." Alexei growled. These numbers...were about a plan. An insane plan some would claim. Personally, Alexei couldn't care less about the lost colonies of Earth. He couldn't understand the need of the UED to conquer some ancient colonies no one could even pronounce. Korpulu? Korup? Kopopo? How did you even pronounce that name?

 _Koprulu. That's the name of the place that ruined you._

"What did you say?" Alexei grunted and looked at his old friend.

"I said: I relayed the numbers to the general staff. It caused quite some heads to turn."

"In anger I suppose?"

"Some of them, yes." Gerard mused. "Some of them wanted to have you demoted immediately."

"I'm too old to be a captain again." Alexei mused.

"Oh, they didn't want to make you a captain." the Admiral chuckled. "But rest assured, I would have taken most of the blame. At least they would have let you off the hock. Apparently, some of them wanted to send me to the penal unit and find a war-ravaged world where I could spend the rest of my miserable life fighting for the honor of the United Earth Directorate."

"Sounds lovely." Alexei sighed. "Yet you aren't on your way to a penal unit and I'm still a vice-admiral. So, I guess your plan has rattled them enough to consider it?" Sometimes you suggest something knowing full well people won't accept it. But that way you showed everyone that you are willing to pull your weight and that you are taking your job seriously. No matter how powerful the UED claimed to be, its strength was finite. And it had enemies. Many enemies. Freedom was a poison, one that men like Stukov and DuGalle had sworn to fight.

To put down uprisings was something that had turned into something quite ordinary for someone working from the UED. Yet men like Alexei and Gerard knew a world beyond all the propaganda that the government was feeding them. They knew that every uprising, every campaign, every dead soldier was a burden that the UED could no longer afford. So why not find a new goal? A remote, long-lost colony. People that were easy to conquer and that would promise new stories that they could feed to the people of Earth and her colonies.

 _You were looking for easy prey. Instead, you found a place full of madness and destruction. Nothing could have prepared for what you found out there..._

That's when Alexei finally realized why his old friend had come here. His eyes widened in shock and surprise.

"Don't tell me..." he whispered.

"They agreed with your assessment of feasibility. And they intend to give us the resources we need to make it happen." And that's when a grin appeared on Gerard's face, a rare thing to happen. "We are going to the Koprulu Sector."

 _The place of your doom._

"I..." Alexei started. But his voice failed him almost immediately.

"They offered me the position as force commander. Of course, I told them that I would require a second-in-command that I could completely trust. They weren't too happy with me dropping your name." the Admiral explained.

 _You should have said no! You should have stayed with your family. In your home. Gerard's death was bound to happen. But yours..._

Admiral DuGalle offered his friend his hand.

"What do you say?" It was all so much. Alexei knew what he should say. He had promised his wife that he would turn his back on the military-life. There were many jobs for someone like him. The UED would find him a good spot, a well-paid spot. His family had sacrificed a lot for his career. His children were always unsure wherever they should greet him or salute to him. To them, he was less of a father and more like a superior officer.

It was not something he had ever wanted...

 _You promised them to be there for them. Always. You failed them..._

Alexei knew what he should tell Gerard. "Get lost". "Get out of my home". "I'm no longer interested". He knew that. And when he opened his mouth...

"When are we supposed to leave?" he asked, cursing himself on the inside.

 _You claimed to have loved them. Yet you were willing to abandon them for just another adventure, weren't you? Perhaps it is better that you don't remember their names, their faces. You don't deserve their love and respect._

The smile on Gerard's face turned into a vicious grin when he realized that he had been successful.

"I told the general staff that it would take roughly 5 months to prepare. Once we are done with that, we could leave at once." the Admiral explained. Alexei realized that none of his loved ones would celebrate their birthdays during the next five months. It was wrong. All wrong. And so...

...he grabbed his friend's hand and smiled.

"Like old times, my dear friend."

That's when suddenly Gerard's face vanished and was replaced by the face of a dark-skinned man wearing a beret.

"You shouldn't have left your home, Vice Admiral!" Samir Duran chuckled. Alexei's eyes widened in shock and terror.

"No! You!" he gasped. Memories emerged inside his mind. Duran. Narud. Amon...

And then...

"Stukov!" a new voice barked and he looked to the side, where he spotted another nightmarish creature from his past.

The Queen of Blades...

"Stop this nonsense at once!" the queen of the Swarm declared. "You belong to me. Never forget that. The Swarm requires your services once more. We march. To war!"

"No..." Stukov gasped, stood up and stumbled back. "NO!" He bounced into someone right behind him. When he turned around, he looked into the dead eyes of his old friend Gerard. Blood was running out of the hole on the side of his head.

"You betrayed me." Gerard declared with cold words.

"NO!" Alexei screamed again and turned away, only to face none other than Arcturus Mengsk.

"Tsk. Earth. I expected more, honestly. You were probably the least-formidable foes I ever had to deal with." the long-forgotten Emperor of the Terran Dominion sneered.

"You are dead!" Stukov barked. "I was there when Kerrigan killed you!" Yes, he remembered. Augustgrad. How he had led Zerg into battle. How he had served the Swarm. And more than that...

The Koprulu Sector. Duran. The Sons of Korhal. Edmund Duke. Zerg. Protoss. It all came back. Alexei grabbed his head and screamed in pain and agony. Too much. It was all too much.

"Stukov!"

"Vice Admiral!"

"Alexei, my friend..."

"Husband..." It was the voice of his wife that caused him to turn around once more. He had to look into her face, had to tell her how sorry he was. He should have stayed with his family, should have ignored Gerard's offer. But it had been his own choice. His family had died a long time ago, never learning what had happened to him.

"I'm sorry. So so-" But when he finally faced the love of his life, what he saw...

...was the horribly mutilated face of an infested terran.

"Father!" another familiar voice screeched. "Why?" The monstrous creature in front of him screamed in pain and agony while its multiple heads were looking at him. Even though they were mutated beyond recognition, Alexei still knew who they were.

A father would always remember his own children.

The thing about nightmares is that they don't have to make sense. What he saw was impossible. His family had never encountered the Zerg. Those who had traveled to the cursed Koprulu Sector, Alexei, Gerard and all the others, they had perished there without anyone on Earth ever learning the truth. So yeah, none of this made any sense.

That didn't mean that it didn't freak him out.

Because it did.

"No! This isn't real! None of this is!" he screamed in terror as he watched how the creature in front of him, a blob made out of tentacles and rotten flesh, with five heads attached to it, screamed and howled in untold agony.

"Father!"

"Husband!"

"Why have you abandoned us!"

"It hurts!"

"No! NO! Get away from me! This isn't real! THIS ISN'T REAL!" he yelled. That's when suddenly something huge burst through the wall. It was enormous and gray, and Alexei could see two glowing eyes. Their golden shimmer was both beautiful and horrible at the same time.

He remembered this creature. He did because he had fought them before.

Protoss...

As if the Zerg hadn't been horrible enough, the Koprulu Sector had offered another alien species unlike anything the people of Earth had ever met before.

"HAHAHAHA!" the Protoss screamed in joy. "FOUND YOU!" Instead of attacking Alexei, the huge alien threw himself on what had once been the man's family, tormenting them with endless numbers of punches, each one able to kill a human outright. It was madness. Pure and undiluted madness. Alexei was forced to watch how his tormented and infested family was beaten to death by a rage-blinded Protoss.

"LEAVE ME ALLLOOOOOONNNN!" the creature yelled. And that's when the voices changed. Instead of hearing the voices of his family, what Alexei heard was his own. Mangled. Transformed. In excruciating pain. Five heads were staring at him. Five horrible versions of himself, warped beyond recognition by time and despair.

 _You abandoned them. This...is your punishment._

"Stukov!" The Queen of Blades was suddenly right next to him. "You belong to me. It is time to serve me again." No. No! He was no longer anyone's servant. Alexei grabbed his head and screamed. And when he looked at the mutated creature in front of him again, he finally realized the horrible truth...

...he was looking at himself.

* * *

"HAHAHA! OH, THIS IS FUN!" Tesson screamed as he slammed his fist into the shapeless blob that was this creature. He knew of Stukov. Living alongside Sarah, he had heard pretty much every story at least one hundred times. But did he care about this man?

No, not one bit.

All he knew was that he had found the ultimate punching bag.

Although he wished this thing would offer a bit more resistance. Seriously, that was no challenge at all. This "Stukov" tried to fight back, throwing one of its barbed extremities at him. Tesson ducked, grabbed the appendage at its base, and yanked it out of its socket. Though it was hugely satisfying to live out his violent tendencies, it was also rather pointless since this Stukov-thing had arms and legs for days. And the other appendages he had ripped out or broken were almost completely healed again.

This thing was in pain, that much was obvious. Sarah had told Tesson to not kill him. But that didn't mean that he couldn't have some fun.

Still, for some odd reason it seemed as if this thing's mind wasn't in the game. And if there was one thing that Tesson hated, then it was if people didn't take him seriously.

"No!" the creature gargled as it received even more punishment from the reckless Protoss. "NO! LEAVE ME ALONE! I WANT TO FORGET!"

"Oh, I'm going to make sure that you remember this beating, you FREAK!" Tesson yelled and pulled his fist back, ready to deliver another brutal punch. His fist shot forward and-

"GHA!" the Protoss yelled when suddenly the creature catapulted itself forward and smashed into him. Tesson was heavy, and he knew how to take a beating. Still, the raw strength of this monstrosity did catch him by surprise. Even though it was mostly a shapeless bundle of muscles, it was still that: A bundle of muscles. Tesson had just enough time to brace himself before he was smashed into the cold and hard wall behind him. Pain shot through his back yet he refused to yield. Within less of a second the whole fight had turned from a nice training exercise into a fight for survival.

"GET OFF ME, YOU SLIMY BASTARD!" the former Nerazim screamed.

"I WANTED TO FORGET! I WANT TO BE ALONE! LEAVE ME! LEAVE ME BEEEEE!" Stukov howled as he used his many limbs to shower Tesson with punches. No matter how talented and experienced the Protoss was, there were just too many claws and limbs to fight back. Claws tore his thick skin and blue blood was splattered everywhere. And yet he still managed to fight back, punching Stukov several times into his face. He could feel how something broke, but he wasn't certain wherever it was Stukov's face or his hand. The pained howls of the creature would suggest that it was the face. Or what was left of it.

"Haha! Good you good, didn't IIAAAAAAA!" Before he was done boasting, Tesson was grabbed by Stukov and thrown away like some piece of trash. He smashed into a bulkhead, and when he landed on the cold and dusty floor, he groaned while blood was dripping from countless wounds. It was nothing deadly and he had survived worse. But still, he knew that right now he was doing a piss-poor job at doing what he was good at.

"You don't look so good." a new voice suddenly caught his attention. He looked up and saw into the eyes of...

"Hey Sarah." he groaned. Sarah Kerrigan had her arms crossed in front of her chest and looked down at Tesson, a cocky grin on her face.

"Having fun down there?" she asked while Stukov was screaming behind them. Instead of going after them, he threw himself against the nearby wall, smashing his head against it as if he wanted to remove his own brain. And from the looks of it, he was about to succeed.

"As a matter of fact: Yes. You done?" the Protoss groaned.

"Almost. Decided to speed things up. You need some time with him? Or can I take care of Alexei?"

"By all means." Tesson replied. He would never admit it, but that last punch to the guts had hurt like hell. "He's all yours. I softened him up for you."

"I'm sure you did." Sarah chirped before she looked at the raging monstrosity that once had been Alexei Stukov. "Well, time to end this." And then everything came crashing down on them.

* * *

"We should do something!" one of the students mumbled. "We can't just stand here and do nothing!"

"Did you see those people? They got a Protoss with them. A Protoss!" another student replied. "And it was really scary."

" _He_ was probably just trying to impress you." someone else mumbled.

"Well, it worked. I am impressed. I don't want to find how a Protoss-fist to the face feels like." The students and scientific staff continued to argue about the right course of action. In the end it didn't matter. All they did was to talk for the sake of more talking. None of them wanted to go down there and see what was going on inside the Hyperion. Most of them just wanted to go home. No, that wasn't right. _All_ of them wanted to go home. It was just that some of them wanted to bring the Professor back with them.

This whole situation would have gone on forever if a certain newcomer hadn't arrived. These people were so scared and agitated that they didn't pay any attention to their surroundings. So the arrival of a buggy had stayed unnoticed. Right until the driver had climbed out of the vehicle and joined the bickering group.

"Just what the hell is this?" the man barked and all eyes turned towards him. Most were actually relieved to see him.

"Marshal!" someone gasped. "You are back!"

"You sound as if that's something to be amazed of." Dan Bowski growled before he looked around. "Where's the Professor. Sirella? Where are they?" And then he squinted his eyes and asked the most important question. "And where is Kerrigan?" Honestly? He didn't expect an answer at all. Yet when he received one...

"Depends which one you're looking for." the amused voice of a woman behind him asked. Dan froze, but only for a second. Then he turned around and squinted his eyes.

"You..."

"I must admit..." Sarah Kerrigan declared. "...I didn't expect you to show up again. And this fast! You must be either really brave or horrendously stupid."

"I'm a sucker for punishment." the Marshal declared.

"Hmm, sounds about right." Sarah mused. "Anyway, now that you are here, you can make yourself useful. How're your guts? Are they trying to eat you?" The casualness of this whole conversation was highly unnerving but Dan was too angry to care. The students and members of the scientific staff, however, was just too scared and confused to listen to reason.

"She took the Professor! Now she's here for us!" someone yelled. Left alone, without anyone to tell them what was going on, these people were no longer on the edge. They were well past it.

"They are slavers, I tell you! Slavers!" That's when suddenly one student turned around and ran over to the buggy which Dan had used to come here. The young man grabbed the steering wheel and looked at his colleagues. "Come on! We have to go! Or they will kill us! Or enslave us!"

"Oh boy..." Sarah muttered when she saw that. Some of the group actually ran over to the buggy and climbed inside. Soon there were more people in it than there were seats. The only two who weren't panicking were Sarah and Dan.

"You know, there once was a show where they would ask stupid questions like "How many people fit inside a car?"." Dan yelled. "You goons totally should try to participate!"

"Why isn't it working?" the driver barked and hit the steering wheel over and over again. That's when Dan held something small high up in the air.

"They are called car-keys! Maybe you don't have them on Korhal, but out here we do!" Bowski told them. When Sarah saw them, she snickered.

"Car-keys? Those things still exist?"

"As amusing this is to you, I haven't come here for more bullsh...shhhh...shhnnnnnn!" No matter how hard Dan tried, the four-letter-word would just not pass his lips. He looked at Sarah, an expression of frustration on his face.

"One day, Mister Bowski, when you have children of your own, you will understand." Sarah simply replied. "On a side note: You do possess a very good timing. I was just about to end this whole show. It has been going on for far too long for my taste." When Dan heard that, he wondered if this was some sort of threat.

"Sorry, that sounded more like a threat, didn't it?" Sarah mumbled when she realized her own poor choice of words. "Anyway, it's good that you are here. You can do me a favor."

"And why should I do that?" Bowski snarled. "I should lock you and your giddy group of misfits up, call the Ministry of Defence in Augustgrad and let them deal with you."

"Heh, that would be hard to explain." Sarah chuckled. "Don't worry, what I'm asking of you isn't very hard. I just ask that you look after someone until he has settled in."

"He?" Dan mumbled. "Who the hell are you talking about?"

"Oh, you see soon enough." the redhead chirped. "But first...let's deal with these guys." And then she sighed when she realized what she had just said. "Gosh, that too sounded more like a threat, didn't it?" She shook her head and took a deep breath. "Anyway, here's the deal: I take all of them off your hands, and you take care of one man for me...ech, why does everything I say sound like a threat today?"

"I don't think that-"

"Great! I knew I could count on you." Sarah beamed before she looked at the buggy where the people were still trying to get away. "Everyone! Please just calm down. Your greatest wish will come true. I will send you to a peaceful place!"

"You're doing that on purpose, aren't you?" Dan asked. "Anyway, where are the others? Are they still down below? And where's the Professor?"

"He's fine." Sarah replied. "Well, not fine really. Right now, he's probably suffering an existential crisis of untold size. But hey, that's life, right?"

"What? What did you do to him?!" Dan demanded to know.

"I gave him what he asked for. He wanted to know about the past. By now Joseph should have told him everything up to the point where I met my daughter's namesake. Depending on how many details he added. If he started about how he met Izsha, then they probably didn't get far."

"So you want me to take care of the Professor?"

"What?" Sarah asked, only to shake her head. "No. No, he is fine. I think. Slightly traumatized maybe, but who isn't these days?" An almost devilish grin appeared on Sarah's face. "No, I'm talking about this guy." At first nothing happened. Until she raised her hand and snipped her fingers in an overly dramatic fashion. That's when-

"What's that?" Dan mumbled when he heard something in the distance. No, not something. Someone...

"...aa..aaa...aaaaaAAAAAAAAHHHH!" Only in the last moment he realized that the sound was coming from above. He looked up, just in time to see how something big and gray and screaming and alien landed right on the hood of the buggy, nearly smashing it completely. The students who were still trying to squeeze themselves into the vehicle shrieked in terror and abandoned the car even faster than they had tried to board it.

"A...Protoss?" Dan whispered when he looked at the groaning alien. It was indeed a Protoss. And it was a familiar one. It wasn't Sirella, this one was much bigger and bulkier. And judging from the groans it emitted, it seemed to be a male. Another thing Dan noticed was the fact that the Protoss' whole body was covered in bruises and cuts. Seeing blue blood was weird. What was even weirder was the fact that he seemed to remember this Protoss though he couldn't really say why.

"Ehhhhhhh..." the huge Protoss groaned and turned his head around until he was looking at Sarah. "...was that...really necessary?"

"Probably not." Sarah mused.

"You want me to take care of _him_?" Dan asked in disbelief.

"Don't be ridiculous." the redhead replied. "And ignore his whining. He's just frustrated. The big guy hasn't received a proper beating in ages and it hurts his pride that Alexei did that."

"Alexei?" Dan wanted to know. "Who's that?" That's when he suddenly started to feel how the ground beneath his very feet started to, well, vibrate. "What is that? An..earthquake?"

"No, that is actually the main-reactor of the Hyperion spinning up after a couple of hundred years rusting away." Sarah explained. "Oh, and a Zerg tunneling its way to the surface." When Bowski heard that, he honestly didn't know which was worse. The fact that the main-reactor of this old wreckage was still able to be powered up was impressive. And scary. The thought of a huge mushroom-shaped cloud came to mind. As for a Zerg tunneling to the surface...

"Wait, Zerg can do something like that?" Dan asked.

"Heh, shows how much you know about us." Sarah snickered.

"Us?!"

"Them. Never mind. Brace yourself, here he comes." she explained.

"What are you ta-DEAR LORD, WHAT IS THAT?!" Dan screamed in terror when suddenly something broke through the surface a couple of dozen meters away. It was...big. And fleshy. Tentacles adorned with sharp claws danced around erratically as a creature straight from a horror-movie emerged from the hole in the ground. The Marshal's face lost all color when he finally recognized that thing.

"Oh God...it wasn't a dream?" he whispered. Suddenly all came back to him. The pain, the darkness, the fear of being chased through a dark labyrinth beneath ground. How his own body had tried to consume itself...

"Keeeerrriiigaaaaaaaaaannnn!" the creature howled and threw its mangled head around until it spotted the woman standing right next to Dan. Behind them, the students screamed even louder and decided to run for their dear lives. Who could blame them? This was a goddamn nightmare. The Marshal pulled out his pistol, the spare he had brought along. His other gun was still...hell, he had no idea where it was.

"Get back!" he yelled. "BaWHAT?!" Just as he pointed the gun at the horribly mutated creature, ready to empty the entire clip into it, he felt how an invisible force grabbed the pistol and simply yanked it out of his hands. He watched in horror how it landed in Sarah's hand, who simply threw it behind her.

"Sorry, but he has suffered enough." she said as if there wasn't a horrible monster around. "We are about to leave. But I doubt that he would be happy to see me again. So I will leave him in your care if you don't mind."

"I DO MIND!" Dan shouted at her. "I DO MIND VERY MUCH!" That's when the creature screeched and started to charge towards them. Now that it was out in the open, in broad daylight, it looked even more terrifying, with its muscles exposed and its mangled limbs carrying it forward. It was truly like a scene from a horror movie.

Even though this thing was a mishap of limbs and tentacles, it moved faster than any normal human could have. Within seconds it had almost reached them.

"I WON'T SERVE YOUUUUUUUUU!" it screamed, directing all of its rage towards Kerrigan.

"You don't have to, Alexei." Sarah whispered. She raised her hands, and when the monster had finally reached them, she flicked again.

The result was...

...messy.

"GHAAAAAAAA!" A pained scream escaped the creature's throat. And that's when its whole body suddenly exploded from inside out.

"HOLY HELL!" Dan shouted and stumbled backward. He fell on his own butt and watched in horror how the monster was turned into a cloud of red mist. To call this thing gory would have been the understatement of the century, and Dan felt the urge to vomit. And who could have blamed him? However, that was not the end of this madness. From the mist of blood emerged something, a figure. For a second he thought that something of this creature had survived and was now in reach to kill them.

Something had indeed survived. But it was no monster. Forced forward by inertia, the figure that emerged from the carnage was a man.

"Gha...ack...egh...!" he coughed before stumbling and falling on all fours. He was completely naked, though it hardly mattered because his entire body was covered in blood. A gruesome sight, yeah. But that guy in front of them was just that: A man. He coughed again and again until he had managed to calm down a bit. He raised his head and blinked in confusion. And when he noticed the woman standing right in front of him...

"Ke...Kerrigan?" Alexei Stukov whispered.

"Hello, Alexei." Sarah replied with a soft and sad tone in her voice. "It has been a while."


	23. Chapter 23

**Well, I guess it is time to use one of the oldest tricks to advance the story. Yes, you heard right: It's time for a time-skip. Just a short one though. And whatever happened between this chapter and the ones before will be explained later on. Probably. So no, I did not forget to upload some chapters. But in order to push the story forward, I think this is the best course of action. Also, believe it or not, this was planned from the start.**

 **And hey, Artanis is finally here!**

 **So are some other characters that have been mentioned before.**

* * *

 **Chapter 23**

 **Old but not forgotten**

* * *

When Artanis opened his eyes, he knew that something was wrong. Quiet. It was too quiet. That meant that there was no one around. Silence meant that there was no battle at hand. Or that there was no one busy training. Which was impossible. Warriors of the Khala knew only two different states of mind: Ready to train, and ready to fight.

Getting up was hard. And painful. Yet it was also satisfying. Artanis could not remember yesterday's training exercise, but he could feel it. Every single muscle in his body hurt. Even his bones felt sore. He had no idea how that was even possible. Or, to be more precise, he couldn't remember how he had ended up like this. How it was possible? There was actually a good explanation.

Fenix.

Heh, it had to be. Fenix's training-regime was legendary for being unforgiving on both the body and the mind. Young templar usually had a lot of respect. Or they were downright scared. And while a true templar was supposed to show now fear, Artanis would never judge anyone who wasn't looking towards the grueling task of going up against the legendary warrior Fenix was. His training-exercises were harsher than anything Artanis had ever done when he had trained to become a templar. Some even mused that the mighty warrior was testing them, that he was actually the one judging them to be worthy.

Others assumed that he was just plain cruel.

But Artanis knew the truth. In reality, Fenix was simply taking his duties more seriously than anyone else. For all of his bravado and boasting, he was the pure definition of what it meant to be a paragon of the Khala. There was probably only one other person in all amongst Protoss-kind who was on his level, maybe even ahead of him. Two, if you included the legendary Adun.

Yes, Artanis held Fenix in the highest regard. For good reason. The young acolytes feared him, for he trained them harder than anyone else would. The brothers- and sisters-in-arms worshipped him, for he would stand at their side no matter what. Even an endless army of Hydralisks would not make him abandon his comrades.

Wait...Hydralisks?

Artanis groaned when he finally managed to get up. Hydralisks...it was wrong, there were no Hydralisks in this place. They hadn't even heard of Zerg so far and...

For a moment Artanis felt confused. What had he tried to think about?

Ah, yes! Fenix! How some adored him, and some hated him. For all the right reasons. While the normal warrior, if there was such a thing, adored him, his commanders usually felt nothing but frustration when he would serve under them. A chuckle escaped Artanis' mind when he remembered how commanders preparing for expeditions would try to trade Fenix away so he wouldn't ruin their plans or question their authorities by doing what was the right thing to do. So far only one commander had managed to garner Fenix's respect.

Aside from the officers, there was one more group who had a very vocal opinion on Fenix. Much to their dismay, he shared their animosity. Unlike them, he didn't try to hide his emotions behind fancy words. The members of the Conclave were politicians to the very core. Their weapons were words, and they wielded them like swords. While Fenix would give his life to protect even them, he didn't hide how little he thought of them.

To say that Fenix was a role-model for Artanis was, while true, a secret that the young templar wouldn't share with anyone.

Getting up was hard, harder than usual.

"Ha. It would seem that you outdid yourself, my friend." Artanis groaned. "Even my bones ache." Some other things seemed different too. His voice carried so much exhaustion. The training-exercise truly must have been grueling if the exhaustion was even vibrating within his voice. Artanis couldn't even remember when he had needed so much time to get up, but when he finally succeeded, he straightened himself and-

"Oh! By the Ancients!" His back was killing him. Just what had Fenix made him do? "I need to have a word with him." Artanis was not one to whine when facing pain and hardship. But if he couldn't even remember what had happened, then he was afraid that Fenix would be compelled to do the very same to some poor young acolyte.

He looked around and only then he realized that the sun was shining through the window. That's when he realized...

"It's already past dawn? Unacceptable!" he growled. It couldn't be. He clenched his hands into fists and shook his mighty head. There was only one reasonable explanation for that; someone had ordered for Artanis to...oh, the very concept seemed to be utterly ridiculous...

...sleep in.

Artanis could only think of one person who would order something like that, someone who would not listen to the complaints of a warrior who was afraid of being seen as weak by his peers.

"Tassadar..." Did that mean that he had returned from his last venture? Ever since the Conclave had announced him to be one of the candidates to become Executor, they had made him travel the entire sector to do...things. The Conclave wouldn't tell, and asking Tassadar would be just as pointless. Artanis sighed and turned around. Fenix would probably tease him for having slept in. For a templar who lived by a strict code, this was actually quite embarrassing. At least as far as Artanis was concerned.

Tassadar would probably tell him that there was nothing to be ashamed of, saying that taking rest is just as important as training hard.

Well, Artanis wouldn't give Fenix any more reasons to mock him, and so he decided to get ready to meet the day. Or what was left of it. Artanis looked around and frowned. The room he was in was...familiar. It was quite beautiful. Too beautiful for his taste. As a templar, he wasn't really into luxury. That included the bed he had slept in. A bed! A soft bed...

Hopefully, Fenix hadn't seen this place, or Artanis wouldn't hear the end of it. He could already hear the barking laugh of his friend, mocking him for growing soft.

" _Next you want to tell me that you have found someone that fancies you, and now you want to have offspring!"_ he could hear his friend's voice laughing. Artanis sighed once more. He should probably mentally prepare for what was about to happen. As the templar had taught him: "Accepting your fate without showing your emotion is the way of the Khala."

"Too bad no one has told Fenix that." Artanis mumbled. Whatever. His armor had to be nearby and so he walked out of the room to look for it. And when he stepped out of the bedroom...

"What is this place?" Artanis mumbled. A lot of it seemed familiar, yet he couldn't really say why. What he knew was that this place wasn't what a templar would consider home. Not that there was any need for something like that anyway. It just seemed so... _soft_.

"Where did they put my armor?" Artanis growled. He checked the next room. And the room after that. And the room after that. Whoever owned this place had to be either truly important or overly conceited. Hmm, perhaps he had somehow ended up inside Aldaris' home? He had never been to that place, yet Artanis imagined that the Judicator wouldn't settle for anything less than his very own palace. But if that were true, then this place right here didn't have enough gold attached to the walls.

No matter where Artanis looked, he couldn't find his armor. The only thing he found...

...was a robe.

"What is the meaning of this?" Artanis growled. This robe was his. He knew not because he recognized it, but because it was adorned with symbols belonging to his tribe. And other symbols that he didn't really recognize. As he stared at the piece of cloth, he couldn't shake a sense of anger and confusion. Was this a test? Or was someone mocking him? If this was Fenix's doing, then he was clearly overdoing it. Artanis was no longer amused, nor did he want to accept his friend's teasing once he would get hold of him. There was a limit to his patience, even if the one playing tricks on him was the mighty and fearsome Fenix himself.

Artanis grabbed the robe and shook his head when he realized just how _soft_ it was. These were clothes unfitting of a templar. If someone thought that he would wear this thing, then they were gravely mistaken. He was still a warrior. And so Artanis simply turned away and looked for a way out.

On his way, he walked past something strange. He stopped and looked at...a painting?

Yes, it was some sort of painting. But unlike any painting he had ever seen. It was as if a quiet voice in the back of his mind was telling him that this painting was dear to him because someone he cared for had painted it.

What baffled Artanis was the fact that the painting was unlike any piece of art he had ever seen before. True, the young templar didn't understand much of art. His profession was war, not painting or creating poems. But still, Protoss' paintings were usually made out of colored crystals. This painting looked as if someone had applied color to an even surface.

 _She sure as hell knows how to use a brush. You should be proud of her._ Artanis nodded when he remembered those words spoken by an old friend.

"She certainly does." he whispered before he suddenly blinked in confusion and shook his head. What? What was that? More confusion crept through his mind and he realized that something was wrong. He had to find someone to tell him what had happened. As he turned away from the painting, he wondered who had created this piece of work. And, more importantly, who was the Protoss displayed in that painting? And why were his eyes glowing green?

So many questions! Yes, he definitely had to find someone to help him figure out what had transpired.

When he finally found the exit, Artanis stepped outside and was greeted by a beautiful day.

"Ahhh..." The warrior allowed himself a sigh of joy. The light of the sun felt so good on his skin. Skin that too felt tired and worn out. Hmm, perhaps allowing him to rest hadn't been such an outrageous idea after all. Since Artanis was certain that Tassadar had ordered it, he could accept it. Tassadar was not one to make fun of his subordinates.

Still, that didn't mean that Artanis had any idea where he was. As he left the building behind, he entered a beautiful garden. It was a serene place, one that made him want to sit down on one of those benches and just enjoy the sun on his skin. When he felt that urge, he shook his head once more and growled in anger. Shameful. A warrior shouldn't yearn for rest and sleep. He had to find the others. Artanis could walk, which meant he could be training.

Oddly enough Artanis didn't encounter anyone. Which was highly annoying since this place was huge. Whoever owned this place, they had to be important members of the Khala. The idea that Artanis had somehow ended up inside the private refuge of a member of the Judicators filled his heard both with dread and amusement.

As he walked through the lush garden, he recognized some of the plants, even the sparkle flowers. But there were also plants that he had never seen or heard of. They looked almost...alien in nature. Perhaps this was the home of a scientist? But why should a member of the phase smith-caste have such a huge mansion, filled with art? None of this made any sense to Artanis. It confused him greatly, and it made him feel angry. What was going on? He had to find out. He had to find someone who would tell him!

Once Artanis reached the other side of the garden, he suddenly stood in front of what seemed to be the main house. It was huge and the architecture looked strange as well. There were some aspects that he recognized, but overall, it looked weird. As if someone had mashed together several different types of architecture. What was even more frustrating was the fact that he couldn't really tell if he liked it or not. The Khalai inside of him told him that this wasn't right. But his heart somehow told him that this place was like a home to him.

"Focus, you fool!" he chastised himself. If Fenix would find him like this, standing around while thinking about architecture, the mighty warrior would first laugh at him and then make Artanis run around the whole planet. Twice.

Yet when he entered the main house, he could finally hear someone.

"...asking you to leave." he could hear a familiar voice. It belonged to a male Protoss. Someone he knew. Someone he knew well...

"All I ask is to see him and take some samples. Not much, just some blood and tissue samples and I will-" another voice reached Artanis' senses. It belonged to a female Protoss, yet he didn't recognize her. Blood samples? A healer? Had he been injured? It would explain why he felt so exhausted, so...old.

"He is no shape for that right now. I told you when you called. Yet you decided to come here anyway. Well, you came for naught. Artanis doesn't want to see you. He told me myself and I intend to honor his wish." Artanis couldn't remember telling anyone that he wanted to be left alone. What was this all about? Even though he suddenly felt so exhausted, as if he had just run a marathon, he still decided to find out what this was all about.

As the warrior walked down a corridor, he felt an eerie sense of familiarity. This place...he knew it. But how?

"I want him to tell me that myself, to my face!" the female demanded. "I came all the way out here just to get those samples!"

"And I told you that you would not get them, so coming out here for no reason is your very own problem!" the male shot back, sounding truly angry.

"I have the permission of the science acade-"

"I do not care about what the science academy allowed you! It does not give you the right to simply deny Lord Artanis his basic rights! And he has the right to be left alone!"

 _Lord_ Artanis?

"Just what is the meaning of this?" Artanis groaned when he finally came around the corner and spotted two Protoss. The first was a thin woman who was wearing a strange outfit that Artanis didn't recognize. But the other one...

"Lord Artanis?" the bigger Protoss gasped. "You should be resting!"

"Resting!" Artanis laughed as he approached his friend and commander. "Tassadar, what are you talking about! And why are you calling me Lord?" Yes, Tassadar. The mighty Executor looked down at the warrior and sighed.

"Oh no. Not now." Tassadar whispered. The female Protoss seemed to be happy to see Artanis.

"Well, there he is! How nice. That saves me a lot of time. Lord Artanis, if you would just follow me. I just have to take some samples and then check your vi-"

"You will do no such thing!" Tassadar barked. Artanis looked at his commander in surprise. He knew Tassadar well, and the Executor was not one to show his anger this easily. Just what was going on?

"Tassadar? What is this? Who is this woman and why does she want my blood?" Only then the female scientist seemed to realize that something is wrong.

"Why is he calling you Tassadar?" she asked, well, Tassadar. That question seemed strange though and so Artanis took a closer look. And only then he finally recognized her and his eyes widened in surprise.

"Rohana? Is that you?" he asked and the female Protoss seemed to be confused.

"Rohana? Who is that? What is this all about?" she asked Tassadar, who seemed to be barely able to contain his anger.

"I told you he is not in any shape to see anyone right now." Tassadar growled. "Leave. Now! Or I will call the office of the Prelate and tell her how you tried to use the opportunity of Lord Artanis being confused."

"You wouldn't do that. That's an empty threat!" the scientist replied.

"Try me." was Tassadar's only answer. This was wrong. Artanis looked at his commander.

"Tassadar! What is this? Why this hostility? This is not how an Executor of the Khala should act in front of members of other castes!"

"Executor?" the female Protoss gasped. "Khala? _Other cast_ _e_ _s_?!" That's when Tassadar finally snapped. He pushed Artanis away and faced the smaller, female Protoss head-on.

"I do not care who you think you are, nor do I care who you work for. You will leave now, at once, or I will personally throw you out. You are not welcome here!" That was too much! Artanis placed his hand on Tassadar's shoulder and tried to calm him down.

"Tassadar, what is the meaning of this?" That's when his old friend turned around and looked him straight into the eyes.

"Lord Artanis..." he sighed. "...I am not Tassadar. Please...go back to your garden. Let me handle this." More confusion crept through Artanis' mind.

 _Tassadar..._

 _Not Tassadar..._

 _Tassadar died..._

 _Sacrificed himself..._

 _For Aiur._

And that's when he finally recognized the Protoss standing right in front of him.

"Eva...lonis?" Artanis asked. The Protoss that suddenly stood right in front of him looked almost like the legendary Tassadar. Evalonis nodded.

"Yes, Lord Artanis." he said with a sad tone in his voice. Artanis sighed when he realized what had happened.

"I was...confused again."

"Yes, Lord Artanis."

"I see..." the old Protoss sighed and turned around. "...I will be in my garden then. Please send our guest away."

"But...but..." the female scientist tried to protest, but before she could say anything, old Artanis had already vanished around the corner.

"There you have it." Evalonis explained. "Or do you want to simply ignore his wishes?"

"I wasn't aware that it was this bad." the scientist whispered.

"Trust me..." Evalonis muttered. "...it is even worse."

* * *

Artanis sat on his favorite bench and stared at the small pond that was the heart of his garden. Yes, _his_ garden. The same garden that belonged to _his_ house. The same house that he had built with his _own_ hands. And that incorporated a lot of different styles, all chosen to represent the different shades of the Protoss' society.

Even though it was a beautiful day, his mood was foul. And when he heard those heavy footsteps, he just wished that he would be left alone. But he was no fool, and so he straightened himself and put his hands on his walking cane. When the other Protoss had finally reached him, the newcomer didn't speak.

"Who was that...earlier?" Artanis asked after a while and tugged at the sleeve of his robe. The same robe that he used to shield his old body from losing too much heat.

"No one you should be concerned of." the tall warrior replied. "A scientist who claimed that she had the authority to study you. And that you were informed."

"And what if I was informed?" Artanis wanted to know.

"Then today would have been a bad day."

"Hmm..." the former Hierarch harrumphed.

"How do you feel?" the younger Protoss wanted to know.

"Old." Artanis replied. "And like a fool. Which is fitting since I acted like one back then."

"It wasn't your fault." For a warrior, the younger Protoss sounded very gentle and caring. It wasn't completely unwanted, but suddenly Artanis couldn't stop thinking about his past comrades, and how most of them would have never dared to talk to him like this young warrior did.

"I supposed that is what it means to be old. You forget where you are and you make a fool out of yourself." Artanis sighed. He looked up at the young warrior and squinted his eyes. "Though I have to admit; it doesn't really help that you are the spitting image of Tassadar, Evalonis."

"I wouldn't know..." the young warrior called Evalonis replied. "I have never met him. But I take your word for it."

"Tsk...sarcasm." Artanis growled. "A true templar should not fall so low as to use something like this."

"Well, since there are no Zerg around that I could slay with my psi-blades, I have to take what I can get." Evalonis chuckled before he turned serious again.

"In all honesty, Lord Artanis-"

"Stop calling me "Lord Artanis"." the old templar mumbled.

"...I am worried."

…

…

…

…

Artanis didn't reply anything to that. He didn't have to. He already knew what the young warrior wanted to tell him, and he was in no mood to hear it.

"Lord Artanis, perhaps we should call a healer who will take a look at you and-"

"Didn't you just send a healer away?" Artanis chuckled.

"No, I sent an obnoxious scientist away who would have used you as a test subject to sate her own curiosity." Evalonis growled, which caused the ancient Protoss to look up at him.

"And how would a healer be better?" Artanis wanted to know.

"Someone could take a look at your mind. I am afraid that you are getting worse, Lord Artanis-"

"I told you to stop calling me that!" the old warrior interrupted him, but Evalonis decided to simply ignore that statement.

"...last time you almost wandered off on your own. If Taeyla hadn't kept an eye on you, then things might have turned out badly." That statement caused Artanis to sneer.

"I am not some piece of vegetable, Evalonis!" he stated. "I'm just...tired. And old." That was an understatement. Artanis, the legendary Artanis, was not old. He was ancient. He had stopped counting his own years a long time ago, but he remembered how many had congratulated when he had turned 1500 years old, older than any other Protoss to have ever lived. No one knew how this was possible, though. Was it because he had walked the paths of both the Khalai and the Nerazim? Or because he had touched the Void? Whatever the reason, Artanis was still alive. Barely.

That didn't mean that he was happy about it.

Being old was no fun. It was painful and dull. And all the people he had cared for as a young warrior, they were all gone. Sometimes his grandchildren would visit him, more out of courtesy than because they wanted to. The only exception was his great-granddaughter Sirella. Speaking of which...

"Where is Sirella?" he asked. When Evalonis heard that name, he shifted his weight from one foot to the other. For a moment he seemed...worried?

"She is fine. The last thing I heard was that she was preparing for an... expedition."

"Why would an aspiring artist go on an expedition?" Artanis asked.

"To find inspiration?" Evalonis offered, yet he didn't sound convinced at his own words. It was clear to Artanis that the young warrior was keeping things from him, but he was too tired and exhausted to care about that right now. Instead, he looked at the imposing figure of Evalonis and sighed.

"Did I ever tell you that you are the spitting image of Tassadar?"

"Occasionally." Evalonis sighed. It was true, though. Evalonis did almost look exactly like the legendary Tassadar. Perhaps he was even a distant relative. Then again, Artanis was no genealogist, and he had his doubts that this was something Protoss cared about these days, unlike humans, who loved to trace their own existence back to some obscure figure in history. The old warrior was amazed at how many people claimed to be descendants of the legendary Matt Horner. Sometimes it felt as if half of the human population of the Koprulu Sector was a product of his loins, the other half being products of the equally legendary first emperor Valerian Mengsk.

The two didn't say anything for a while. Artanis because he was in a foul mood, and Evalonis out of courtesy and respect. Still, right now being inside his home didn't bring Artanis any joy. The experience from earlier still haunted him. He would never admit it but Evalonis was right; it was getting worse.

And yet death still wouldn't claim him.

For a warrior, death on the battlefield was a desirable outcome. Preferably against impossible odds and the most vicious enemy you could imagine. Sadly, Artanis had missed that opportunity. Now his two options were to die peacefully in his sleep or to trip, stumble, fall over and die due to complications of a broken hip.

As he looked at his garden, he felt barely any joy. This place usually helped him to calm his mind. But right now, it felt small and constricting. And so...

"I want to go for a walk." he suddenly declared and stood up. Or at least he tried. His old legs tried their best to do what they were told but he needed all of his strength to achieve getting up. And even then, he only succeeded thanks to his walking cane and Evalonis, who would help him.

"I would strongly advise you to not do that..." Evalonis muttered. "...but I know you will just ignore me. Still, I will come with you."

"I do not need a babysitter!" the old warrior snarled.

"Yes, well, I will not allow you to get lost. Again. Last time was bad enough." the young Protoss replied.

"Bah!" Artanis replied before walking out of his garden. Very, _very_ slowly. Hunched over, every step was exhausting. By human standards, he would be over 150 years old, ancient even. Whatever the universe had thought when it had gifted him with such a long life, he did not know. But it felt more like a curse than a gift. Evalonis followed him like a shadow, making sure that nothing would go wrong. While this was embarrassing, the young one stayed quiet and gave Artanis the illusion of being alone.

His home was far away from any big settlement. There was a small village a couple of kilometers away, but the villagers had no reason to come out here. Which meant that Artanis could experience peace out here. At least in theory. In reality, however...

...well, let's just say that the name Artanis still made people look up and take notice. Much to his dismay.

As they stepped out of his home, Artanis walked down the stairs and then followed a small beaten track leading south. The house had been built at the base of a hill. They were basically walking around that hill, whose backside was covered with trees that belonged to a lush jungle.

"Perhaps I should take the lead and-" Evalonis muttered.

"I have walked this path long before you were born!" Artanis growled. "I know every stone and everyGHA!" Artanis was so enraged that he didn't notice the stone right in front of him. He stumbled over it and was not able to fight gravity. When you are really old, your bones become frail. Stumbling and falling flat on your face when being young might only end up in a bloody nose. If you have a nose, that is. What applied to humans could also be applied to Protoss. Probably not Zerg, but who knew exactly...

If you are old, however, then every fall could have dire consequences. Artanis knew that. So this was how he would finally perish? Breaking his hip on a walk around his home?

"Watch it!"

Big and strong hands grabbed him just before his body made contact with the ground, and Evalonis put him back in his feet, slowly. The young warrior looked at Artanis and frowned.

"It seems as if you do not know that stone."

"Someone must have placed it there on purpose." Artanis growled before shaking his head. "Thanks." And with that, he simply turned around and moved on. Evalonis decided to just follow him and say nothing. They made progress at a snail's pace but eventually they reached the other side of the hill, where they were already greeted by another bench. When Artanis sat down on it, he was completely exhausted.

"Today is a beautiful day." Evalonis said.

"It is." Artanis agreed. Right in front of them was one of the biggest jungles on Aiur. Here in the south, the weather was warm, which was good for Artanis' ailing health. The humidity, well, not so much. The lush green of the jungle was a soothing sight, and the old warrior was starting to feel how his bad mood was fading. Until suddenly the roar of an animal could be heard. It was far in the distance but the sound caused Artanis to visibly shake, almost as if he wanted to jump on his feet and ignite an imaginary psi-blade.

"Do not worry, it is just a zergling." Evalonis mumbled when he noticed Artanis' distress.

"Just a zergling." the older Protoss sneered. "There is no such thing." Even now, even after all those centuries since the Overmind had laid siege to Aiur, there were still Zerg on this world. No longer were they members of the Swarm. Scientists had confirmed that the genes that linked a Zerg to the Swarm were either inactive or had withered away. Evolution had caused the Zerg on Aiur to degenerate into mostly wild beasts. Beasts that had managed to integrate themselves into the biosphere. What wolfs had been on Earth (before some genius had introduced kriechers from the world of Ramelow), zerglings were on Aiur. Most people didn't mind about that fact anymore. Well, most people hadn't fought the Zerg in war, so they didn't know what they were talking about. Artanis, however, knew.

He knew all too well.

"Rain-season is about to start." Evalonis said after a while.

"I hope every single damn zergling drowns." Artanis growled. He had heard that some people even used them as pets. Pets! Who in their right mind would use a zergling as a pet! Next thing people would try to put a leash on a hydralisk!

"Evalonis..." Artanis mumbled.

"Yes?"

"Tell me...something." Artanis asked with a tired voice.

"Something?"

"Anything. Just...tell me something." he muttered.

"The Order of the Templar is about to introduce new recruits into their ranks. Some say that they are the most talented recruits since-"

"No. Nothing about the Order." Artanis interrupted him. "Tell me something simple. Something that does not involve war. I want to hear something...nice." he said and closed his eyes. "Tell me about that...young woman that seems to like you. What was her name again?"

"I did not tell you her name." Evalonis mumbled. "Also, I do not think that this is a good idea and-"

"Please. Do an old warrior a favor." the tired and exhausted Artanis asked. And so Evalonis relented.

"She is...different. Makes me do thinks that I would otherwise never even dream of." the young Protoss declared.

"Ah, the courage love can give you..." Artanis whispered, sounding as if he was about to fall asleep.

"Not quite." Evalonis replied, yet he didn't sound annoyed by that. "It is just..."

"Yes?"

"She is...humble in her own way. And cares for people, more than they realize. And I have no idea why she would be interested in someone like me. Being a templar these days is not something most people aspire to. Yet whenever I tell her about my duties, she just wants to hear more and more." Evalonis looked at the lush jungle in front of them. Honestly? He didn't even like the jungle. The humidity was highly annoying. Everything would take more effort to do in this environment.

"I suppose ever since I met her, I have started to question my own path in life. But not in a bad way. Even though the caste-system is gone, not many of my comrades choose to look for someone who isn't a warrior. Most of them have dedicated their lives to war, and so they don't see the purpose of doing things that aren't related to training." he continued. "Some even feel offended that your grand-granddaughter is an aspiring artist."

"What...do they know..." Artanis mumbled as his eyelids were starting to become heavy.

"It took me a while to get to the same conclusion." Evalonis said. "Whenever they ask me why I would fall for someone who is not a warrior like me, I tell them that I am happy as long as she is around. That is enough for me." He then continued to stare at the jungle in front of him for a while. On the horizon, dark rain clouds were gathering. It wouldn't take long for the rain to reach them.

"Also, she scares me from time to time." Evalonis admitted. "They teach us templar not about relationships. Honestly? I think it is a mistake. Yes, I understand that being a templar is not the same as being a soldier. Or a warrior. A soldier follows orders, and is bound to laws. He serves. A warrior follows the call of battle and is bound to a code of honor. But a templar?" The young Protoss sighed. "Sometimes I think that with the end of the Conclave the templar lost their true calling. I was raised listening to all the grand stories, but those are centuries ago, all of which happened even _before_ the Great War. It is like the order has decided to exist in the past. Before I met her, I didn't really care about that, but she made me question it. Still, I do not want to be disrespectful. The templar have taken me in after I lost my family. They gave me a home, trained me, gave me a purpose. And let us not forget that thanks to them I was able to meet you."

Evalonis sighed. Maybe he was talking too much.

"Forgive me, Lord Artanis, I was babbling. Perhaps we should return to the house. Those clouds look as if they are here any...minute..." When he finally looked at the former Hierarch again, he noticed that something was wrong.

"Lord Artanis?" But Evalonis would receive no answer. The young warrior knelt down right next to him and his hand was already close to Artanis' throat to check for his vitals when-

"I'm not dead." the ancient Protoss growled and opened his tired eyes. "I was just resting my eyelids." Evalonis sighed in relief.

"I was scared for a moment." the young warrior explained.

"Templar...should not be scared."

"Well, then let's say that I was worried." Evalonis corrected himself. That's when suddenly a bright flash of light illuminated the sky.

"Lightning? It seems that the storm is almost here. We should head back to the-"

That's when an infernal noise suddenly reached them. It was so loud that even the ground shook. Evalonis was truly startled by it but Artanis just looked up and squinted his eyes.

"That, my young friend, was no lightning." the aged warrior explained. "That was a hyperjump within an atmosphere." Evalonis frowned and looked up into the sky. Right there, almost exactly on top of them, was an enormous object. It was so big that it was blocking out the sun. Evalonis had never seen a vessel like this. What he could tell was the fact that it wasn't Protoss in nature. It was far too ugly for that. And it wasn't Zerg either since it wasn't alive. Which meant...

"What is that?" the young warrior asked.

"That, my young friend..." Artanis explained. "...is a terran battlecruiser."

As a member of the templar, Evalonis had studied war, and the tools that were used to wage it. And while he lacked the childlike interest many of his comrades had when dealing with such subjects, he was no slouch either. He knew exactly what terran equipment and vessels looked like. But this thing?

"A battlecruiser?" he marveled. "It looks nothing like anything I have ever seen."

"That is because it is old. Almost as old as I am, in fact." Artanis explained before his eyes widened in shock. "Wait...is this another hallucination? Evalonis?!"

"No, Lord Artanis. I see it too." the young warrior mumbled and placed his hand on Artanis' shoulder to calm him down. The battlecruiser was unlike anything he had ever seen or heard of. It was _huge_! Far bigger than any piece of military equipment Protoss or humans used these days. While its size was a testimony to how outdated it was, it also gave this machine a truly imposing aura. All it did was to hang in the sky, as if it was waiting for something.

"Sloppy." Artanis growled and Evalonis looked down.

"What do you mean?"

"A battlecruiser has just jumped in, within the atmosphere of Aiur. Just like that. Pah, back in the old days something like that would have never worked!"

"You think that this thing is hostile?" the young warrior wondered.

"I suppose we will find out soon enough." Artanis replied and nodded at the huge vessel. "Look, it is preparing to land." And indeed it was. Evalonis and Artanis watched how the gigantic vessel lowered its altitude. To think that such a huge machine could even maneuver within an atmosphere was flabbergasting. However, after a short while...

"Uhm...that does look less like a landing and more like falling." the young warrior explained.

"Indeed." a way-too-calm Artanis replied. "This should be interesting." And then he placed both of his hands on his walking cane. They watched how the battlecruiser suddenly started to roll to the side...

...and smashed in a nearby hill. Trees were sent flying as it plowed through the ground Evalonis noticed that it was heading straight towards them.

"Lord Artanis!" he yelled. "We have to go!"

"Save yourself, Evalonis." a tired Artanis replied. "This is a death worthy of a warrior, and I shall accept it gladly!"

"WHAT?!" But before Evalonis could say anything else, the ship was almost upon them. Running away was no longer an option, even for him. Whoever was in charge of that thing, they finally deactivated the engines and so the vessel decelerated quickly. It finally came to a halt, only a couple of dozen meters away from them.

"We are still alive?" Evalonis mused.

"This day is full of disappointments." the old warrior next to them growled.

It didn't take long before something new happened. A hissing sound could be heard and soon after a hatch at what assumed by Evalonis was the front of the battlecruiser opened and an all-too-familiar voice could be heard.

"...told you that this thing handles like a dead overlord. But you wouldn't believe me. Well, now you know. You can apologize later to me." the voice of a woman hollered.

"Well..." Artanis sighed. "...at least now we know who is responsible for this mess." And when a human head looked out of the hatch, Evalonis blinked in disbelief.

"PAULA?!" he screamed.

"Hey, Evan! Look what I've found!" Paula Kerrigan shouted back.

The two Protoss continued to watch how the young woman climbed down the outer hull of the gigantic battlecruiser. While Artanis seemed mildly amused, Evalonis' reaction was, well...

"Did you not say that you would try to keep a low profile?" the young warrior wondered.

"Yeah, well, things got complicated." Paula replied. "With how things went down, I'm just happy that I made it here."

"What happened?" Evalonis wanted to know. "And how did you end up with _this_!" he gasped and pointed at the enormous ship in front of them.

"This, eh?" Paula muttered as she looked over her shoulder. "Oh, that's a long story. You will probably not believe me a single word. Let's just say that I achieved my goals by escalating the situation on levels unheard of."

"I am not sure I want to hear any details. Also-" Evalonis started before he was suddenly interrupted by another voice.

"YO, PAULA!" a female voice came from within the battlecruiser. "Better get going! Seems like the Protoss noticed we are here. Sensors show contacts incoming. A lot." The voice definitely belonged to a woman, but sounded strange, almost blurred.

"A travesty!" Artanis, who was still sitting on the bench as if none of this mattered to him, growled. "At least two minutes have passed since this ship has entered the atmosphere, and only now they send forces to intercept? Back in the day, this would have never happened!"

"Guess we have to make it quick then." Paula sighed and walked towards Artanis. She stopped right in front of him and offered him a warm smile. "Sorry for just barging in. I wanted to give you people a heads-up, but things became a bit hectic. Still, I'm here now. Ready to go!" When Artanis heard that, he just frowned.

"Go where?" he asked and Paula opened her mouth, only to hesitate. Then she dropped her shoulders.

"You don't remember, do you." she whispered and looked over her shoulder at Evalonis, who shook his head in defeat. "Well, can't change that now. But you do remember me, right?"

"I'm not a damn vegetable, Paula Raynor." Artanis growled. "I know who you are."

"It's actually Paula Kerrigan, my parents decided that I should-"

"I do not care, I will not use _her_ name when addressing you." the old Protoss declared. "More importantly; is Sirella with you?"

"Not exactly." Paula mumbled. "I left her in the care of someone very capable. Don't worry, she's fine." When Artanis heard that, he squinted his eyes.

"Someone very capable? Someone I hoped to never see or hear of again?"

"Maybe..." Paula whimpered. "Don't worry, it will be fine! Sirella is probably already back on Korhal, doing her art-stuff. And so-" That's when the other female voice interrupted them again, yelling at them over some external loudspeakers.

"GUYS! MOVE IT! WE GOT INCOMING! I SWEAR, PAULA, IF YOU RUIN THIS, THEN MY SISTERS WILL TEAR YOU APART, AND I WON'T STOP THEM!" the unknown woman screamed.

"Well, better do as the cranky lady says." Paula whispered before turning her attention back to Artanis. "I gave you a promise. Maybe you don't remember, but I want to keep it. For that to happen I need you to come with us. Don't worry, everything will be okay. Just please, come with me." She then offered her hand and looked at the old warrior, who didn't seem to appreciate the gesture.

"I am tired, Paula Raynor. And I do not want to go on a journey. So whatever I made you promise, just leave it be. There is nothing that would make me change my mind. So if you do not mind; please take your battlecruiser with you and leave." Artanis declared. "Your vessel is ruining the view." Instead of admitting defeat, Paula straightened herself and looked back at the battlecrusier.

"SARAH!" she yelled. "I NEED OUR CHIEF-MECHANIC OUT HERE!" She didn't have to wait long for an answer.

"ARE YOU INSANE?! WE DON'T HAVE TIME FOR THIS! PROTOSS INTERCEPTORS ARE INBOUND! THEY WILL BE HERE REALLY QUICKLY!" the woman called Sarah yelled back. Sarah? As in Sarah Kerrigan? No, that voice sounded different.

"JUST DO IT! I WON'T LEAVE WITHOUT ARTANIS!" Paula barked. You could hear frustrated curses over the loudspeakers. It sounded as if several women were discussing their next steps. Evalonis could swear that he heard "leave her behind" and "throw her off of a cliff", among other not-so-nice things. But then...

"Who is that?" Evalonis muttered when he spotted a huge gray figure emerging from the hatch that Paula had used to leave the battlecruiser. It was a Protoss. The moment he landed on his massive feet, he looked around and seemed confused for a moment.

"Karax!" Paula yelled. "Over here!" When Artanis heard that name, his head snapped up and he stared at the figure that was approaching in disbelief.

"Karax?" he whispered. It took his old and ailing eyes a while to recognize the other Protoss. But when he did...

"Karax!" Artanis got up, slowly and under a considerable amount of pain, before stumbling towards the other Protoss. Both Paula and Evalonis rushed to his side and made sure that he wouldn't stumble and fall.

"Hierarch?" a surprised Karax replied. "Is that you?" The phase smith walked over to Artanis, and when they were face to face...

"You look smaller than I remember, Hierarch." Karax declared.

"That happens if you age, Karax." the ancient Protoss replied, his voice suddenly sounding as if he was close to crying. "Yet look at you! You do not look a day older since when I last saw you!" And that had happened a couple of hundred years ago. Artanis placed his hands on Karax's shoulders and squeezed them softly. "Paula Raynor told me that you were still alive, that you were in service of...that you were still out there! I know she is not one to speak lies, but I still had my doubts, considering who her mother is."

"Uhm, I don't know if that's a compliment or not." Paula muttered when she heard that before she shook her head. "Anyway, we should get going. Before Sarah is popping a blood-vessel or anything."

"Karax. My old friend. It is so good to see you. There are so many things that I want to talk about. So many stories that I would like to share." Artanis explained. And that's when tears started to stream down his face. Tears of joy, of an old warrior who had just met an old friend again. That's when Evalonis intervened.

"Perhaps..." the young Protoss mused. "...you two can continue this conversation inside?" he offered and pointed with his finger at the battlecruiser. "It is what you wanted to do after all." That comment earned him a strange glare from Paula but he gestured her to be quiet.

"I...did?" Artanis muttered, seemingly confused and overtaken by all of this.

"Oh yes! We planned for this for quite some time, can you not remember?" Evalonis continued. "It is a, uhm, well...curse!"

"Cruise." Paula corrected him, and then her eyes widened when she realized what the warrior was trying to do. "Oh, yes! Yes, exactly! We wanted to take you on a trip, isn't that right Karax?"

"I do not remember anyone saying anything about a cr-"

"INTERCEPTORS ARE ALMOST HERE!" the enraged voice of the woman called Sarah screamed. While she had the same name as Paula's mother, it was brutally clear that this Sarah wasn't the infamous Sarah Kerrigan. "EITHER YOU GET INSIDE WITHIN IN THE NEXT 70 SECONDS OR WE ARE GONNA LEAVE YOU BEHIND!"

"We?" Evalonis muttered, which earned him a sigh from Paula.

"You'll see soon enough. Hey, Karax. Please, could you help Artanis inside?" Paula asked.

"Uhm, yes. Of course. Hierarch, here, grab my arm." And this time Artanis didn't even hesitate one second. He grabbed Karax's arm and allowed the phase smith to lead him towards the huge vessel whose engines were powering up again. As Evalonis and Paula watched how the two other Protoss boarded the battlecruiser, the young warrior shook his head in disbelief.

"It will be hard to explain that to anyone. Good thing that I do not have to worry about that." And then he looked down at the smaller woman. "Did you...get it?" That's when Paula longed into her pocket and pulled something out. When she opened her hand, Evalonis looked at a small shard of green crystal.

"That is all? Paula, that is not an Ihan-crystal, that is just a shard!"

"It's enough, trust me." she replied. "Besides, it was the only thing my mother allowed me to take with me. But all we need is inside this shard, so we should be okay."

" _Should?_ " Evalonis groaned before he realized what else Paula had just said. "Wait...your mother? She was there?"

"Like said: Things got complicated." Paula admitted before grabbing Evalonis' hand and pulling him towards the battlecruiser. "Don't worry, Evan. she won't be joining us anytime soon. I think."

"That is not really helping me to calm my mind, Paula. What...did you tell her?" Evalonis wanted to know.

"Enough to make her curse my father. And she wouldn't let me leave until I would tell her what we were want to do." The two climbed up a ladder that was leading to the hatch. And once they were inside...

"And she is okay with that?" Evalonis asked in disbelief when he closed the hatch behind him. Instead of answering his question directly, Paula turned around and ran through the corridor. She took two turns to the right and after an especially long corridor they ran through an open hatch. Only then Evalonis realized that this place had to be the bridge of the vessel. And what he saw there...

"Finally!" a creature unlike anything he had ever seen growled. She looked like some sort of infested human, only a lot less horribly mutated. Instead of legs, this creature had a long snake-like tail, and the expression on her noseless face was one of pure annoyance. "Wasted enough time taking a walk? Good, we are about to get royally screwed over here!" Her voice was that of the Sarah they had heard before.

"Yeah, yeah!" Paula panted. "We hurried as much as possible. So stop whining and let's get lost." When Sarah heard that, she said something very unflattering before turning her attention to the other creatures in this place. Yes, there were more like her. Like...identical.

"Ava, Minerva! Fire up those engines. Take us out of here!" Sarah barked and the other, smaller versions that all looked like a certain former Zerg currently employed by the former Queen of Blades saluted in an almost adorable way. Evalonis watched through the looking glass how the landscape outside began to move and then get smaller as the mighty vessel was gaining altitude fast.

"Big sis', the interceptors are in firing position!" another mini-Izsha declared.

"Ignore them!" Sarah replied. "Iris, are you done?" And yet another identical version replied as she looked up from her console.

"Jump plotted and coordinates locked in. All you need is to give the command!" Iris replied. During the entire time, Evalonis looked around and didn't know what to say. Until...

"I guess there is a perfectly fine explanation for all of this?" he mumbled. That's when Paula grabbed his huge hand and gave it a soft squeeze as the hyper-engine of the battlecruiser Hyperion came to life.

"Yeah, guess I will have to explain you some stuff." Paula mused.

"It sure seems that way." Evalonis muttered. "By the way, you didn't answer my question."

"Which one?"

"If your mother is okay with _this_?" he said and gently squeezed Paula's hand in returned. And that's when a goofy grin appeared on Paula's face.

"You mean if I told my mother that my boyfriend is a Protoss? Oh Evan, you are so cute." she giggled. "Ha, don't be stupid. I'm not suicidal!"

"PAU-" Evalonis yelled in despair. That's when the Hyperion entered hyperspace, and his scream was cut off.


	24. Chapter 24

**Hey there. I do hope you are all doing okay right now, especially considering the crazy times we are living in right now. A fair warning; it might be possible that I won't be able to post anything in the next 2-3 months. There's a lot of work approaching, and I simply don't know how much time I will have left to work on this story. Which doesn't mean that, even though you won't get any new chapters for a while, I have decided to abandon this thing or anything. There's also a slim chance that I won't be drowning in work. We'll see.**

* * *

 **Chapter 24**

 **Traveling alone is only half the fun**

* * *

 **A few weeks after the events on Flemmington...**

* * *

There were few worlds in the 4th millennium that were as important as Korhal. Korhal, the Imperial Capital, the center of the Empire's power and arguably _the_ cultural hotspot inside the Koprulu Sector. There were other worlds like Tyrador, which had become the playing ground of the rich and famous, or Ramelow, which had earned its riches thanks to its fertile grounds. Even now scientists couldn't really say why plants grew so well on that world. But pretty much everyone in the Koprulu Sector knew how apples from Ramelow taste. They were _everywhere_. Like kriechers.

But even then Korhal had never lost its importance. It was the center of government, including the Imperial Palace and the senate, home to the imperial administration, the fleet, it housed the biggest stock market in the sector (and beyond) and, on a side-note, had the fourth-largest population of Protoss outside of Aiur. It was a pulsing hub of culture and money, while also being a bureaucratic mess and riddled with poverty in some places.

It was, in short, the heart of the Empire.

And, as such, it was one of the best-protected places in the whole galaxy. Only Char, the crown-world of the Zerg, was probably better protected. But that was only an educated guess because no human or Protoss had ventured there ever since the end of the Great War. Few had tried, like an ill-fated Tal'darim-incursion almost 800 years ago, yet no one even knew what had happened to them. Nothing good, most likely.

So yes, Korhal was one of the safest and most well-guarded places in general. Which meant that any ship that would enter the system would be noticed.

And when the small ship entered the system, it appeared on the sensor-grid immediately.

Now, in the 4th-millennium technology had become an integral part of human society, more so than ever before. Artificial intelligence had found its way into everyday life, and when the sensors picked up the signal of the vessel, they immediately forwarded the information to the AI responsible for keeping track of every vessel inside the system. And when the AI looked at the shape and form of that vessel...

...it had no idea what it was looking at.

This vessel was in no database that space traffic control used. It was unlikely that this ship was a threat, but still...

The AI searched other databases and found a match. One that made this whole situation even more confusing. The ship's sensor profile matched a type of dropship that had been used by humans over one thousand years ago. How did the AI find out about that? Well, it asked other AIs if they had seen anything like this ship before, and the AI working at the imperial museum had pointed out that this thing looked exactly like one of the many exhibits of the Great War. Which didn't answer the question of how this thing was still fly-worthy.

In the end, the AI decided that, even though this was an interesting anomaly, it had more important things to do. And so the AI decided to do what most people would probably do in this situation: It told its superior that he should deal with this.

"Unknown vessel at vector 620 to 374, this space traffic control, please respond." When no answer was given, the controller repeated his inquiry. And when the unknown vessel failed to respond again...

"Unknown vessel, you have failed to identify. You will do so immediately or we will launch interceptors that will accompany you to a nearby military installation. Fail to comply and we-" That's when the controller finally got an answer.

"-'s that button." a man with a strange accent growled.

"How do you know?" another man shot back.

"I flew these things long before your grand-grand-grand-grand-grand-"

"I get it."

"-father was born. That's the button to open a channel. Press it and they can hear us."

"I can already hear you." the controller replied. "Unknown vessel, since we can now hear each other: Identify yourself immediately."

…

…

…

"Unknown vessel, respond!" the controller growled. However, the answer he got was less than satisfying.

"Are you sure it is that button? I can't hear anything." the first man, who seemed to be the pilot, wondered. Was this guy for real?

"Unkown vessel, can you hear me? I can hear you, please respond!" the controller barked again. Next to him some of his colleagues threw weird glances at him, wondering why he was about to yell at someone on the other end of the line.

"Huh, these instruments do look a bit strange." the second man with the accent mused. "I think Kerrigan once told me that this was Raynor's private dropship. Heavily modified. Used it for all sorts of spec-ops-operations, like approaching a target under the radar." When the controller heard that, he couldn't believe his ears.

"Say WHAT?!" he screamed and entered a new command into his console.

"I seriously doubt that the guy we met on Flemmington does even know how to spell spec-ops. Let alone run such an operation. Judging from all the illegal alcohol in here, I'd say he used it for smuggling. It would certainly explain all that ammunition we found earlier." the pilot sighed. All if this was recorded by the controller, who had already sent out the request for a patrol to check that vessel out.

"Don't judge him too harshly." the man with the accent continued. "Raynor was a capable man back in the day. Some called him a freedom fighter, others hailed him as a terrorist. As far as I know, Mengsk even put out a juicy bounty on his head." Mengsk? As in: Emperor Mengsk? The controller had no idea who this Raynor-guy was, and he didn't really know if there was such a thing as a most-wanted-list for criminals or terrorists. But if this man with the accent claimed that there was a guy called Raynor the current Emperor Matthew Mengsk the Sixteenth wanted to see dead, then the controller couldn't just ignore this!

"Strange that no one has contacted us yet." the pilot mumbled. "Korhal's air-space controllers are supposed to be the biggest assholes known to man-" When the controller heard that, his eyelid started to twitch. Whoever those two jerks were, he would make sure that they would go down! "...but maybe this ship is actually meant for spec-ops-stuff."

"Perhaps you should let me fly." the man with the accent chuckled. "I have done many insertions during my time with the military. They never saw me or my men coming. Not until it was too late." Well, that was just peachy. The controller was already busy sending information regarding the dropship to the closest fighter-patrol. And he made sure to add "dangerous" and "potential threat". Mere seconds later the fighter-pilot in charge confirmed the controller's message and he saw how two more blips appeared on his sensors. Fighters, on their way to intercept the newcomer.

"You know, maybe this wouldn't be such a bad idea." the pilot mused. "Fly in under the radar, grab our target, and be on our way before anyone notices."

Wait, was this guy saying that he wanted to abduct someone?!

That's when they finally seemed to notice that something was wrong...

"Uhm...are those two blips on an intercept-course?" the pilot asked.

"Sure seems that way." his co-pilot replied. "And... they're fast. Real fast."

"Oh boy, OH BOY! THOSE ARE FIGHTERS!" the pilot yelled in panic. And when the controller heard that, a smile appeared on his face. He leaned back and changed the channel, focusing on more important things. Now that the fighters had arrived, the members of the space defense force would take over. The military could sort that stuff out. But the controller knew that he had done a good job, and who knew? Maybe this was the perfect moment to ask for a raise!

* * *

When Dan Bowski walked down the ramp of the dropship, he was greeted by a squad of grumpy soldiers. They all seemed as if they wished to be anywhere but here right now. Which seemed odd.

"That's far enough!" one of the soldiers barked when Dan reached the end of the ramp and was about to set foot on Korhal's soil. After the two fighters had almost shot them down, Dan had managed to find the right button on the radio to scream "DON'T SHOOT, WE ARE PATHETIC!" As a result, the fighters had escorted the dropship towards the nearest military installation, just a couple of kilometers from the outskirts of the City of Augustgrad. You could even see the mighty skyscrapers in the distance.

"Sorry if we caused any trouble, we were just-" Dan tried to say but was cut short by another soldier.

"Yeah, well, we don't really care, pal. Just hold your breath until the captain arrives, you can bullshit her. Also; keep your hands where we can see them."

Man, what a bunch of jolly fellows.

"They sure seem to like us. Oh, how I have not missed this place." the man with the accent chuckled behind him. Dan looked over his shoulder and frowned.

"You wanna get down here? Or do you want me to deal with this mess all by myself?" the Marshal asked, sounding slightly annoyed.

"They got plenty of guns, and I react allergically to being shot. So you can take point on that." his "partner" chuckled.

"Thanks. Suddenly I'm so glad that I allowed you to tag along." Dan mumbled before he returned his attention to the soldiers. "Listen, fellas, I'm sure we can sort this out. My name is Marsh-"

"I said we don't care, dipshit!" the soldier who had told him that before groaned again. "Just stay where you are, hands where we can see 'em. Oh, and tell your friend inside to come out as well. Slowly. And preferably unarmed. You got any weapons with you?"

"Only my service pistol. It's back inside and-"

"Yeah, I didn't ask for your life's story, pal." Dan was interrupted again before the soldier yelled so loud that his co-pilot could hear him. "YO! You back inside. Time to come out. No guns or stupid tricks, or this will end in tragedy. For you guys!" Dan could hear a sigh behind him and then heavy footsteps as someone was walking down the ramp. And when the other man stopped right next to the Marshal...

"Well, this brings back memories." Alexei Stukov mumbled and looked at the skyscrapers in the distance. "Last time I've been here things were a bit more hectic though."

"Now's not the time for your stupid and retarded war-stories." Dan growled.

"They are not stupid." Alexei replied, sniffing as if that comment caused him serious mental pain. "But I met my fair share of retards. Hey, did I ever tell you the story of that one marshal from that backwater planet? What was the name of the world again? Flemboy? Flemming? Fallaffel? Fa-"

"For the love of God!" Dan groaned. "Will you just shut up?"

"How about you both shut up!" the soldier barked. "If you don't, then you can wait for the captain in one of the holding cells!" When Dan and Alexei heard that, they pointed their fingers at each other at the exact same time.

"He started first!" both of them complained. That's when...

"Seems like we got a bunch of jokers here." the voice of a woman suddenly reached them. Both Dan and Alexei looked to the left where they could see someone approaching. The soldiers straightened themselves and shouldered their weapons.

"Captain!" the man who had talked to Dan and Alexei said.

"At ease, men." the Captain just said and stopped right in front of Dan and Alexei. Bowski's eyebrows wandered up when he looked at the "Captain", while Alexei was barely able to keep himself from drooling.

"Well, hello beautiful!" Dan's companion cooed. "When there had been such beauties in the military when I was still active!" The Captain looked at Alexei in an almost bored fashion.

"Seriously?" both she and Dan said at the same time, which caused them to look at each other both surprised and a bit amused.

Dan would have never said something like that, but he had to admit that Alexei had a point. This woman was indeed beautiful. She stood out among those soldiers like a rose surrounded by weed. Her dark brown, almost black skin stood in stark contrast to her gray, well, uniform. Though it reminded Dan more of a bodysuit. Still, he knew what a stealth-suit looked like, and that this Captain, therefore, wasn't your everyday grunt. What was probably her most intriguing feature was her eyes. While it was not unheard of, this woman's eyes were crystal-blue. It was the kind of blue that seemed to give her the ability to stare right through someone and pierce their soul.

Her hairstyle was kinda odd though. Wearing a rather stylish sidebob that obscured the right half of her face, except for her right eye, Dan wondered if she tried to hide a scar of something like that, like in of those cheap holo-novels.

"So, these are the fellows that caused such a ruckus." the Captain mused as she mustered both Dan and Alexei, who took of his cap and brushed over his hair, probably trying to make himself as presentable as possible.

"Milady! Let me introduce me and my friend-" Alexei started with a sweet voice.

"I'm not his friend." Dan growled.

"Me and my travel-companion." Stukov corrected himself. "We are just two humble travelers, looking for a place to rest our weary souls and-"

"Just what the hell are you talking about?!" Dan interrupted Alexei. "And why are you talking like this is an ancient poem?"

"It's called "being friendly and civilized" from where I am. You should try it too, my young friend!" Bowski's "companion" replied.

"Well, it's called "kissing someone's ass" where I'm from." the Marshal said.

"You two are adorable." the Captain finally interrupted them. "But speaking of which: Where are you from?" she wanted to know and looked first at Dan and then at Alexei.

"Flemmington." Dan told her. "Marshal Dan Bowski. Colonial Administration." When the Captain heard that, she smirked.

"You are far away from home, Marshal. And you do know that the CA doesn't have any authority here, right?"

"I'm not here on business if that's what you think." Dan told.

"Oh? Is that so? In that case I can't wait for you to tell me why you are here. But first-" And then she looked straight at Alexei. "Are you from Flemmington too? You don't look like a marshal. More like a... uhm..."

"Dashing and good-looking adventurer?" Alexei offered.

"Washed-up pirate." the Captain replied. When Dan heard that, he snickered as Alexei's poor attempt at flirting ended in disaster. "So, where are you from?"

"Earth, as a matter of fact." Alexei replied. "But I haven't been home in ages. Feels like centuries since I last visited my home." And that wasn't even a lie.

"Earth?" the Captain asked both amused and with a hint of disbelief in her voice. "You are far away from home then, Mister."

"Stukov. But you may call me Alexei."

"I think I will call you trespasser." the Captain replied before she focused her attention on Dan once more. "As for you, Marshal, if you are a marshal that is, then I guess you have a good explanation for coming here inside the replica of a vessel that was used a thousand years ago."

"Fun-fact:" Dan explained. "This thing ain't a replica."

"Sure." the Captain snarled. "And I'm next in line in the succession of the Empire."

"Really?" Alexei wondered. "Well, you certainly do look like royalty. May I ask if there is already a prince charming in your life? Or do you need-"

"I don't care if you will shoot us." Dan suddenly interrupted his companion. "But if you do...can you kill me first so I don't have to listen to that anymore?" For a moment a coy grin appeared on the Captain's face before she regained her composure.

"No one's going to shoot anyone. At least not while I'm in charge. You haven't answered my questions though. Marshal Bowski, is it?"

"Yeah."

"Why have you come here?" the Captain wanted to know.

"Is this an interrogation?" Bowski asked back.

"It sure as hell will be if you don't tell me what I want to know." the Captain cooed and looked at the marines next to her. "The choice is yours. The easy way? Or the hard way?" When Dan heard that, he sighed and dropped his head in defeat.

"The easy way please." he mumbled.

"Ah, a man of reason! Maybe I do like you. How about we have this conversation inside." the Captain offered, to which Dan just shrugged his shoulders.

"Sure." the Marshal sighed in defeat. "Lead the way."

"You know..." Alexei declared as he and Dan were led inside the nearby building. "...I can be very reasonable as well. Perhaps I can tell you about that during dinner, Captain...?" he tried to fish for her name.

"Please shoot me..." Dan whispered. Just why the hell had he allowed this guy to tag along?

* * *

"So, let me get this straight." Captain Shani Okoi mused as she looked at Dan both bored and amused at the same time. "You came here because you want to see a few people that you met during a research trip on Flemmington. Why?"

"Because they had to leave early." Dan told her with a straight face. "Everything was quite hectic back then. And, well, working with them was a lot of fun." he lied. "I just want to see if they are all doing well."

"Rrrrrright." Captain Okoi replied. "And that's why you came all the way from Flemmington to Korhal. You could have called them."

"What can I say?" Dan mused. "I like to see people in person. Some of them invited me here. You know, show the hillbilly the big city and all that." They were sitting inside a small interrogation-room, Okoi, Dan and...

"If I remember correctly, then there are many good restaurants in Augustgrad." Alexei mused. "Maybe I could invite you to-" But he didn't even get the chance to finish his sentence.

"Who do you want to see?" Okoi asked.

"What?" the Marshal asked back.

"The people you want to see. Names. They do have names, right?" the Captain wanted to know.

"Uh...yeah. Of course. Professor Allagan. Jerome Allagan. And Sirella." Dan mentioned before his expression turned sour. "And Kerrigan. Paula Kerrigan." he griped.

"That doesn't sound as if you like that person very much." Okoi mused.

"You probably have misheard me."

"If you say so..." the Captain mumbled and looked at the datapad in her hand. "Marshal Dan Franklin Bowski-"

"Franklin?!" Alexei asked in surprise but only received a stern look from Dan.

"...your personal information checks out. You took some days off a couple of weeks ago, isn't that right? Didn't mention where you would go."

"You called my folks back home." Dan muttered. That wasn't even a question, it was a statement.

"Well, at least we know who you are." Okoi continued before she looked at Alexei. "You however..."

"Are much better looking?" Dan's companion suggested.

"Have no ID. There is no Alexei Stukov in our database. If that's your name." the Captain explained.

"Oh, let me assure you: I am who I claim to be." Alexei replied. "As I said: I'm from Earth."

"Yes, so you said." Okoi sighed. "I have already put forward a request for identification through my superiors. If you are truly from Earth, then I'm sure that they can confirm that. It shouldn't take long, though. Maybe two or three weeks, depending on how fast they are."

"Two or three WEEKS?!" Alexei gasped in shock. That's when Dan suddenly stood up and straightened himself.

"Well, good to know. Since my identity is not in question, I think I can go now. I leave this man in your care and-" Dan started.

"Hey. Hey! HEY!" Alexei protested. "Don't you dare to leave me here!"

"I agree." Captain Okoi announced, which earned her surprised looks by both Dan and Alexei.

"You do?!" both men asked at the same time before she sighed and stood up, placing her hands on the desk in front of her before staring at the two guys.

"As a matter of fact, yes. Until we figure out how you-" she said and pointed her finger at Alexei. "...truly are, and when you-" And then she turned her attention towards Dan. "...tell me the real reason why you are here and where you got this dropship from." The Captain then turned around and left the two men for themselves. She closed the door to the interrogation-room behind her and no one said anything for quite some time. Until...

"She totally digs me." Alexei chuckled.

"Please kill me..." was Dan's only reply.

* * *

 **Uncharted territories, somewhere near Protoss space...**

* * *

The moment the ancient battlecruiser emerged from hyperspace, Evalonis managed to finish what he had started.

"-LA!" he finished Paula's name, who blinked a few times and shook herself to get the shock from the hyperjump out of her body.

"I would appreciate if people would stop yelling my name." the young woman mumbled. "A: It's getting really old. And B: I think my hearing is getting worse." The unlikely couple was surrounded by several Izsha-lookalikes, and they all seemed to think the same thing at the same time.

"That would mean that you could hear in the first place." the tallest version of Izsha declared. "Somehow we have our doubts about that." When Paula heard that, she stretched out her arms to include the entire bridge.

"Hey, I got us this far! And so far, I delivered on the goods, did I not?" the young woman defended herself.

"Whatever..." the tallest Izsha growled. "You did your part, now we do ours. Now get off my bridge!"

"Wait, Sarah, don't you want-" Paula started.

"GET OUT NOW!" the cranky Sarah yelled, and all of her sisters squinted their eyes, and for a moment it seemed as if they were ready to throw themselves at Paula and Evalonis. The tall warrior had no idea what was going on, so he just decided to follow Paula's example when she started to hum a melody and walk towards the exit. Only without the humming. When they were about to leave the bridge, Evalonis turned around and looked at the closest, well, Izsha.

"Forgive me for being curious..." the huge warrior wondered. "...but are you Zerg?"

That's when suddenly all heads snapped into his direction, and the Protoss could see how their eyes started to glow yellow.

"WE ARE NOT ZEEEEEE-!" they all screamed at the same time. That's when Paula smashed her hand on the door button and closed the entrance to the bridge, shutting the two of them out. And then...

"Phew. That was close." Paula mumbled. As Evalonis looked at his, well, girlfriend, he noticed the truly worried look on her face.

"What was that all about?" he asked, which earned him a pained glare from Paula.

"Let's just say that Sarah and her sisters don't like to be compared to Zerg. It's a, uhm, touchy subject."

"Oooookay." the Protoss replied, not really understanding what this was all about. "They didn't seem to like you as well. Or did I just imagine that?"

"Nope!" Paula sighed. "They really don't like me."

"And the reason for that is...?" Evalonis wanted to know.

"A long and boring story that you will hear soon enough." Paula sighed. "Come on, let's check out on Artanis and Karax." And so Evalonis simply decided to give it a rest, at least for the time being. As they walked down the corridor, they encountered some more versions of Izsha. And not a single one of them seemed to like Paula.

"Hey, Elena."

"Go to hell."

"How's it going, Brigitte?"

"Shut it, idiot."

"Oh, hi Marlene! Say, can you-"

"Don't talk to me. Don't you ever talk to me."

All those different versions of Izsha were busy working on the battlecruiser. Cables were replaced, steel beams reinforced, hydraulic systems fixed. As the two walked past an open hatch, Evalonis peeked through it and could see at least a dozen Izsha's working inside a hangar, doing their best to restore it to its former glory.

"I just have to ask...who are they? For not-Zerg, they sure look, well, zergish." Evalonis mused.

"Uncle Joe's and Aunt Izsha's kids." Paula explained. "Don't try to memorize all their names, it took me ages to get where I am now, and I still screw up from time to time." As if to prove her point, Paula greeted another smaller version of Izsha as she slithered past them.

"Hello Valeria, how's-"

"It's Janice, you petty excuse for a prodigy." the not-zerg snarled as she moved past the (almost-) human and the Protoss.

"They _really_ don't seem to like you." Evalonis muttered.

"Ah, it's not that bad. Sarah is grumpy and angry at me because things turned out the way they did. They form their very own swarm-intelligence. So, if one of 'em is mad at me, all of them are. Especially Sarah. She's the oldest. Basically, whatever she says, goes. You'll get used to it. Besides, if Sarah is happy, then your hand will hurt from all the high-fives they'll be giving you."

"I take your word for it."

"Do I hear a hint of doubt in your voice?" Paula wanted to know.

"From me? No, never!" Evalonis chirped. "Why should I do that? I tell everyone that I meet that my girlfriend comes up with the best plans. At least until she puts them into motion." When Paula heard that, she grinned.

"Heh, he called me his girlfriend." she snickered before looking over her shoulder. "Come on, let's check on Artanis and Karax."

"Lead the way, I'll follow." Evalonis replied, and so the two of them moved on. They did encounter a few more Izshas, but thankfully they were all too busy working on fixing this huge ship.

"So, Artanis said that this was a Terran battlecruiser." the warrior mused after a while. "Is this the one you told me about. Your father's old ship?"

"The Hyperion. Yep. Found her at the ass-end of the Koprulu Sector. It wasn't easy to find her, trust me. The colonists that live on the world where she was buried didn't even know she was there. The hardest thing was to get there without anyone noticing it. Even though it fell apart in the end." Paula explained.

"I suppose hiding all these...uhm...what are Sarah and her sisters called anyway?" Evalonis asked.

"I tell you what they don't want to be called, and that's-"

"Zerg, yes. I get it. But they are...?" the Protoss wanted to know. When Paula heard that she stopped, looked up, and frowned.

"You know, I actually have no idea. To me they were always just family." the young woman mused. That's when another mini-Izsha slithered around the corner.

"Don't you dare to call us family, you stupid git!" she spat out.

"Oh, hi Elena. How's your tail doing?" Paula mumbled.

"How about you shove it up your butt? Then you tell me!" was the only answer she received. As Elena was gone, Paula sighed in defeat.

"Okay, maybe Sarah's really mad at me. Though, in all honesty, I think she has no reason for that." the young woman defended herself. "Come on, I can sense Karax and Artanis. Seems like they are in one of the secondary hangars. This way." And so, they moved along until they reached another crossing. And even from the distance, they could already hear the voices of the other two Protoss.

"...believe that you decided to stay with her!" they could hear Artanis, who almost sounded...enraged.

"It was the most prudent course of action, Hierarch." Karax replied.

"It sounds as if Lord Artanis is angry." Evalonus mumbled.

"Indeed." Paula replied, only to snicker when she realized that a certain someone had used this phrase as well many times. "I wonder what they are talking about."

"But she's a vile beast! She betrayed us, and even her own kind, many times! She never knew the meaning of honor in the first place!" the old Protoss spat out, which caused Paula to sigh when she realized who he was talking about.

"Sounds like Mum." she muttered before she and Evalonis entered the hangar. By now a lot of the ship had been restored. Not just by Sarah and her sisters, but Karax worked hard as well. And someone else had helped them as well. The hangar looked almost brand-new. Behind a blue-glowing field of electrons, the vacuum of space greeted them. You could even see a spectacular nebula in the distance, many lightyears away. Artanis was sitting on a big crate, his hands resting on his cane as he was looking up to Karax, who busy working on a miniature-drone while listening to the former Hierarch at the same time.

"I understand that things...were hectic that day." Artanis continued. "Even after all this time I still remember that glorious battle. But that happened over a thousand years ago! Surely you could have joined your brothers and sisters in time. I never stopped thinking about you. Where you went. What happened to you. But never would I have imagined that you...would join the great defiler-"

"It would be nice if you would stop calling my mum "the great defiler". That sounds like she's some kind of infested vacuum-cleaner." Paula explained when she joined them. Artanis and Karax looked at her, and for a moment it seemed as if the ailing Protoss didn't even understand her. Until-

"Paula Raynor." he greeted her. "You told me that you knew Karax when we first met. You never told me that he taught you many things and that you share a deep bond of kinship."

"I like to think of him as my uncle. Isn't that right, Uncle Karax?" Paula giggled, to which Karax only shrugged his shoulders.

"I suppose that watching you grow up, Paula, makes you special to me. At the very least you show more respect to my work than the others. Except for Lady Kerrigan." Karax explained, which earned him an "Aaawww" from Paula.

"Stop calling her "Lady Kerrigan"." Artanis growled. "She is not your master, she does not command you! You have to break free from her control, Karax! Please, you have to-"

"I did so long time ago, Hierarch." Karax interrupted him, which caused Artanis to blink in surprise and Paula to snicker.

"What?" the ancient warrior mumbled.

"Uhm...I hate to interrupt this conversation, but can someone explain to me what this is all about?" Evalonis intervened. "Who's controlling who?" It was Paula who told him what he needed to get up to speed.

"Back in the day, my mum _accidentally_ -"

"There was nothing accidental about it!" Artanis barked in anger.

"...she kinda caused some damage to Uncle Karax's mind. It wasn't her intention, but in the end, it didn't really matter."

"She tore Karax from our midst! She made me doubt my brother, fear that he had been turned into a pupped like Raszagal!" the former Hierarch ranted. "And worse-" That's when Karax sighed and looked at Evalonis.

"It is true. For a long time, I felt compelled to follow her orders because...I cannot really explain it. It felt like some sort of psionic conditioning." the phase-smith said.

"And... not anymore?" Evalonis wanted to know.

"Over the centuries that feeling started to fade until it completely vanished." Karax told him. "I am my own master now. I have been for many years."

"Then...why didn't you return to us?" Artanis wanted to know. "You were my friend, my brother!" You could actually see how Karax struggled to find the right words. And how uncomfortable this whole situation was for him.

"I..." he started. "...was happy where I was."

"Happy?" Artanis asked with a disbelieving tone in his voice.

"Yes. I was able to study the technology of the Xel'Naga. Technology that you forbade we should study. I understand that this sounds as if I chose to betray you, but I am a scientist. I could not allow such a chance to just pass by without grabbing it! Besides, Lad...Paula's mother..." Karax corrected himself just in time. "...has been good to me. She helped me wherever she could. I do understand that you do not share my sentiment, that to you she is the murderer of many comrades and friends. But to me...she is a friend." For a long time, no one said a word. Until...

"Pah!" Artanis snorted and turned away. "It is clear that you are still under her control. The Karax I knew would never say something like that!" That's when Karax was about to reply something when suddenly Paula intervened. She placed her hand on her uncle's arm and signaled him to give it a rest. And Karax understood immediately.

"I... see." the phase-smith mumbled. "Well, perhaps we can continue this conversation at a later date. I still have work to do. I shall oversee the repairs performed by Lady Izsha's daughters. While they are extremely competent in what they are doing, they still lack experience. If there is nothing else..." And when no one did ask for something else, Karax bowed his head in respect and left quietly. Paula threw a questioning gaze at Evalonis, who only shook his head, indicating her to not pursue this any further.

"Uhm...maybe we should call it a day for today." she then suggested. "You must be tired, Artanis. Perhaps-"

"I am not senile, Paula Raynor." Artanis interrupted her. "And I do not need someone who is still wet from birth-"

"That's disgusting." the young woman interrupted him.

"...to tell me that I should get to sleep."

"Is there anything we can do? Anything you wish us to do?" Evalonis interjected.

"You can leave me alone!" an angry Artanis declared. "My head hurts. And my bones. I just wish to be left alone. Is that too much to ask? Or am I your prisoner? Is this where you show your true colors, that you are indeed your mother's daughter?"

"What? No, I... well, yes, I am my mother's daughter. But I don't want to-" Paula tried to defend herself. That's when Evalonis placed his huge hand on her shoulder and signaled her to be quiet.

"We understand, Lord Artanis. We will leave you alone. If you need anything, do not hesitate to ask." the huge warrior replied. The only answer they received was a wave of the former Hierarch's hand, gesturing them to finally leave them alone. Paula hesitated for a moment until Evalonis practically dragged her out of hangar. They vanished around the corner and when she was certain that they were no longer in earshot of Artanis-

"Just what the hell was that all about?!" she whispered, a disbelieving expression on her face. A deep sigh escaped Evalonis' mind when he heard that question.

"I wanted to tell you, but the way you rode in unto us made that impossible."

"Do I hear a hint of criticism in your voice?" Paula wanted to know.

"I just state facts, Paula." her boyfriend replied. "As for Lord Artanis, well..." He sighed again. "He has started deteriorating at an even faster rate. The last couple of weeks have been especially bad. It seems that he is losing his grip on reality, starts to think he is in the past. It pains to even say it out loud, but I think...he is close to becoming fully senile." And judging from the sound of Evalonis' voice, he wasn't making a joke.

"But...when I left, he was still fine...ish." Paula replied.

"The healers that took a look at him told me that they do not know anything about Protoss that are this old. They did, however, suggest that his behavior might become far more erratic soon. Moments of clarity will be replaced by confusion within mere seconds. So... we might tell your companions about that. The last thing that we need is for Artanis to think that he's surrounded by Zerg. It might lead to...problems."

"Oh, come on!" Paula protested. "It can't be that bad!" But the answer was not what she wanted to hear.

"Trust me, it's even worse." Evalonis sighed. "So, whatever you have planned, you better step it up. I don't know how much more time is left. Speaking of which; what is it you have planned exactly?" Instead of supplying the tall warrior with a satisfying answer, all Paula did was to pull her shoulders up.

"Eh', we are currently in the I make it up as I go-phase of the operation." she said, which earned her an exhausted look from her partner.

"And how is that any different from your usual approach to things?"

"Oh, harr harr. Look who has finally found his sense of sarcasm again, Mister Snarky-Pants."

"I do not know what you are talking about." Evalonis chirped way too friendly. "Sarcasm is beneath a warrior serving the templar order! Also; I do now wear pants. Like, ever."

"I know, it is one of the many reasons why I fell in love with you." Paula giggled.

"Which one? The sarcasm-part or the no-pants-part?" the confused Evalonis asked back. Instead of giving him a straight answer, as usual, Paula reached up and grabbed a part of Evalonis' chest-piece, pulling him down until their faces were roughly on the same level.

"I let you pick. I'm feeling generous." she told him before planting her lips on the lower part of his face, right where a human would have a mouth. Evalonis did nothing, just decided to enjoy the moment. The fact that a human...well, human-like being, was kissing a Protoss would probably only confuse folks back home. And that included both Evalonis' people and Paula's family. Speaking of which...

"Hmm, yeah, definitely missed that." Paula sighed when she broke the unusual kiss, proving to the world that you only need one mouth to make it work.

"So, while that was a nice way to stall the conversation and not tell me what you will have planned next...what's next?" Evalonis asked once more.

"Ugh, you're just like my mom. There's no way to stall her either. I'm gonna save myself the embarrassment of trying to run away because I already know how that will end."

"Are you implying that I might use force to stop you?" Evalonis gasped in disbelief.

"What? No. I would just be reminded of how horrible my own stamina is. I was outrun by a woman who's 900 years older than I am. Artanis could probably outrun me, and his bones are made out of straw and glass." Paula muttered. "Any attempt to run away would only end in bitter defeat for me." And that's when she yawned.

"Tired?"

"Eh', a bit. The last couple of days have been hectic. Ever since I managed to grab this baby and run, that is. Hadn't had a break since then." Another yawn escaped her. "Gosh, now that I started, it seems that I can't stop. Bugger."

"Speaking of which...how did you get your hands on this thing anyway?" Evalonis asked and looked around. "It does not look like something that you just find under a nearby rock."

"Believe it or not..." Paula yawned once more. "...I did find it under a pile of rocks. That's quite the story. You won't...eeeeeeeehhhh..." She produced another long-stretched yawn. "...believe half of it."

"Try me."

"Fair enough." the young woman chuckled. At the same time, you could actually see how she was getting sleepier by the second. "It all started when I arrived on Flemmin-eeeeeeeeehhhh!"

"Never mind that." Evalonis interrupted her. "How about you take a break and get some sleep?"

"What...what about Ar...ehhhhhh...Artanis?"

"I keep an eye on him. And once you're back on your feet, you can tell me how you managed to get your hands in this thing." the Protoss explained.

"Dunno, right now I'm more concerned that Sarah or one of her sisters will brutally murder me in my sleep." Paula replied. "That's why I haven't been sleeping for the last two...weeks."

"I was under the impression that humans cannot go without sleep for that long." a baffled Evalonis mused.

"I'm not human, remember?" Paula reminded him.

"But most of you is." her boyfriend replied. "And if memory serves right, then you need some sleep. Or weird stuff is going to happen." That's when he leaned down and swept Paula off her feet, who yelped in surprise but otherwise didn't do anything to stop him. She actually blushed when she realized that he was carrying her in his arms.

"Uhm...Evan?"

"Just tell me where to take you. You have any quarters here?" he asked.

"Y-yeah. Captain's quarters actually."

"Captain's quarters." Evalonis chuckled. "Of course, where else?" He looked around and realized that he had no idea where he would find those. "Directions might be in order. How about it, Paula? Where to...Paula?" As he looked down, he realized that the young woman in his arms...

...had already fallen asleep.

"Must have been quite the trip." Evalonis whispered. "Wish I could have been there with you." Instead of waking her up, the huge warrior tried his luck and walked away from the hangar. Leaving Artanis behind wasn't a good idea, but Evalonis would try to hurry. It didn't take him long to find someone to ask for direction.

"Excuse me? Young, uhm...lady?" he asked one of the many versions of Izsha, who was currently replacing some pieces of tech behind a wall. She looked over her shoulder and frowned when she noticed Paula in his arms.

"The name's Tanja." she told him. "Is she dead?"

"N-no. She is just sleeping and-"

"Bummer." the mini-Izsha growled before returning to her work. "Get lost."

"I will." Evalonis replied. "I am just asking for directions. Do you know how I find the Captain's quarters?" That's when "Tanja" looked at him once more, a devilish grin on her face.

"Captain's quarters, eh? Oh, sure. I know where you can find them." she cooed. "Deck 8. You can't miss it. Just follow the smell." Evalonis, not sure what that meant, bowed his head in respect before turning away.

"Thank you. I will no longer keep you from your duties. If I can somehow help, then please do not hesitate to ask." And with that Evalonis turned away and looked for a way to get to deck 8, not knowing what he would find there. When he was almost gone, "Tanja" looked at him once more.

"Tsk. He's much too good for her. Guess it must be nice to be Little Miss Perfect." she growled before returning to her work.


End file.
